Adelaide Sex Guide

Adelaide has some of the most conservative adult industry regulations and laws in the country. While sex work is not entirely illegal, it is severely restricted.

You won’t find licensed brothels in South Australia as they are banned; however you will still find some venues that offer other forms of adult entertainment. Body rubs, tantra sessions and — of course — a handful of excellent titty bars.

While we cannot provide as extensive coverage of the Adelaide sex industry as we do for other major Aussie cities, we can certainly talk getting laid: hooking up, casual encounters and what exists of the fragmented swinging scene.

Quick Links:

• Adelaide Brothels – while they do exist, we can’t list any venues offering full service. What we’ve got instead is the closest alternatives you’re going to find.
• Adelaide Escorts – these services operate in a grey area of the law. Technically they are legal as long as you are only buying ‘companionship’. Our guide explains the legal blackhole.
• Adelaide Strip Clubs – finally, some action! We profile the nudie bars you should check out, plus the latest pricing, specials and events.
• Adelaide Erotic Massage – again, these don’t have the explicit menus that you’ll find beyond SA, but you can still find some hot sensual body rubs.
• Adelaide Adult Stores – did you know Addie has more sex shops per capita than any other large city in Australia?

Is Sex Work Legal In Adelaide?

While the act of providing sexual services is not explicitly illegal, many associated activities, such as brothel operation, living off earnings from sex work, or street solicitation, are criminalized under laws like the Summary Offences Act 1953 and the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935.

What this means is that neither sex workers or their clients have any protection if they are caught in the age-old transaction of money-for-sex.

If you’re travelling here from Sydney or Melbourne, and you’ve become accustomed to walking in to neon-lit brothels unopposed, you’re in for a rude awakening.

They call Addie the 20-Minute City… but not for the reasons your dirty mind is thinking.

You’re simply not going to find lavish, licensed five-star brothels like those in more progressive states. The law does not permit them in SA.

The brothels that do exist are shady hole-in-the-wall type venues that we highly suggest you avoid.

Views From The Locals

For all the red tape and legal shitstorms [surrounding sex work], the industry still goes on as normal… mostly. All of the major directories have listings for Adelaide, the massage shops operate on a wink wink nudge nudge basis. It’s one big sham. But it is what it is. I feel sorry for the private working girls that get made the scapegoats mostly. Too many stories of entrapment and bullshit setups. What a waste of time and energy.

Anon punter (CBD)

The sex industry is always going to exist – the only thing the government is succeeding at is tarring us all with stigma or driving us underground. Bring in some regulation and tax the damn thing if it makes you feel better. The sooner we catch up with the rest of Australia, the better.

Anon sex worker (Adelaide)

Inside The Adelaide Sex Scene

So we’ve established that the commercial sex industry in Adelaide is like stepping on hot coals.

What about the casual hookup scene? Is there a close-knit community of swingers and kinky Lifestylers?

It’s a mixed bag, but these resources in our Adelaide Sex Guide will help:

FAQs: The Dirty Side of Adelaide

Let’s delve deeper in to the naughty side of Addie with some of your candid FAQs.

Other Posts Covering the Adelaide Sex Scene

What Have We Missed?

Recommendations? Observations? Questions?

Drop your thoughts on Adelaide’s adult scene below!