DonnieBet Review

DonnieBet is one of the newest betting sites in Australia, registered through Racing Victoria and regulated by the VGCCC, the same path taken by ClubBet and a stack of other 2026 launches. It runs on BetMakers software, so if you’ve used any of the recent books on this tech you already know the drill: clean app, racing-first layout, and a feature list that’s near identical across the whole family.

The betting app is live now as well, with versions available on both iOS and Google Play store.

Who’s Behind DonnieBet?

The licence sits with the McGrath & McGrath partnership, trading as Donnie Bet, and Racing Victoria lists them as an approved wagering service provider. The ABR fills in the rest: the ABN (25 797 789 549) is registered to A.J Bryant, D.S Bryant and D McGrath, while the App Store seller reads A.J McGrath & D.J McGrath. If the McGrath name rings a bell, Damien McGrath previously held VGCCC registration trading as BuffaloBet, a book that’s since closed down. DonnieBet looks like the next crack at it, new name, same regulator, and this time with BetMakers doing the heavy lifting on the tech.

The Standard BetMakers Kit

There’s really no surprises in the product. You get Same Game Multis, Same Race Multis, live streaming, speed maps, form and insights, with Racelab integration and live vision on the racing side. Racing products cover Fixed odds, Best Tote, Quaddies and the Daily Double. Sports coverage spans AFL, NRL, cricket, NBA, NFL, tennis, footy codes from around the world, the usual spread. It’s a complete offering, and completely interchangeable with every other new BetMakers book.

🚩 Fine Print Red Flags

The terms appear recycled. The deductions section refers to “Real Bookie” two times, which is a different VGCCC bookmaker, and strongly suggests DonnieBet’s T&Cs were copied with a ctrl+F that missed a few spots. Another clause still references the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, a regulator that hasn’t existed since 2022. None of this affects your bets directly but it does indicate how much care went into the paperwork.

Payout caps are low. Maximum payout is $15,000 per internet wager and $10,000 by phone. Multis are capped at total odds of $1,001 across up to 20 legs. Exotics top out at $15,000 for metro thoroughbreds, $10,000 elsewhere, and just $5,000 for races outside Australian tote coverage. There’s even a clause reserving the right to cap any Win or Place dividend at $101. The big corporates cap payouts too, but these numbers are small book territory, which I suppose is expected during early days.

Best Tote has a catch. If the spread between the three Australian TABs is more than 20%, they can ignore the best price and pay the lowest tote plus 5%. That’s exactly the scenario where Best Tote is worth having.

Banking is dated. Deposits are by direct deposit, debit cards, or cheque. No PayID or e-wallets mentioned anywhere. It’s not totally unheard of for a new bookie but disappointing nonetheless. On the plus side, they don’t charge fees on transactions, but that’s not really a selling point in 2026.

“Always On Promos” Is a Big Claim

The marketing promises “always on promos” and “best in class promotions”, but the terms reveal a different story. Promotional bets max out at $100 per event, winnings from any promotional bet are capped at $1,000, stakes are never returned on a win, and unused credits expire after 7 days. Only one promotional bet can be used per event, Entertainment and Politics markets are excluded, and there’s the usual clause voiding everything if they suspect matched betting or arbitrage. The terms do set up a framework for recurring promotions rather than a one off, so the “always on” part may well be true. The caps just make it hard to see the generosity matching the marketing.

Should You Sign Up?

DonnieBet is a legitimate, licensed Victorian book with a complete BetMakers product on day one. That’s the good news. The rest is a coin toss: recycled terms and conditions, payout caps at the low end of the market, and restrictive promotional rules.

If you enjoy being early on new books, it’s fine for a small punt while they find their feet. If you’re after a bookie with more polish, start with our list of Australian bookmakers instead.