Online Gambling - 🇦🇺 Australia
Online gambling in betting site aus is a significant industry within the Commonwealth. The Oceania region, which includes New Zealand, is one of the largest gambling markets in the world.
Australians
They take great pride in their cultural heritage, one aspect of which is their longstanding history of horse racing and various forms of betting. Not many countries can claim that their biggest holiday of the year revolves around gambling, except for Australians and the Melbourne Cup.
How popular is online gambling in Australia?
According to Australian gambling regulatory agencies, as of 2011, about 4 out of every 5 Australians engaged in legal betting at least once. Recent years have shown similar figures. Results from a study indicate that the Australian gambling industry is worth over twenty billion dollars annually. This figure includes all forms of online and land-based gambling, including lotteries.
Is Online Gambling Legal?
Yes, online gambling is legal for Australian customers.
Gambling has been a tradition in Australia since the country stabilized. However, it didn't achieve significant success within the Commonwealth until the late 1990s. Around the year 2000, there was growing opposition to gambling, and it became evident that the Australian government was taking an interest in regulation.
Within a year...
...the federal government held hearings on online gambling, purportedly in response to public concerns about how the industry was affecting citizens.
The wave of opposition to gambling in Australia only lasted a short time...
The only legislation enacted during this brief period was the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, known as the IGA. This new law enforced measures similar to what the U.S. Government implemented when it passed the UIGEA. This law didn't make online gambling illegal for customers; instead, it targeted gambling providers.
The IGA made it a criminal offense for:
“...anyone to provide interactive gambling services to customers present in Australia.”
Gambling providers found to be in violation of this law could face fines of up to 1.1 million dollars for each day of illegal operation.
However...
Similar to how U.S.-oriented providers found workarounds for UIGEA prohibitions to process payments, Australian gambling enthusiasts could also circumvent the IGA.
Specifically, modern ancillary services in the online payment processing industry, such as Neosurf and e-wallets, allow players to transact with their chosen casino operators freely and securely. These activities continue to safeguard players' best interests while optimizing the operations of Australian top online bookmaker gambling platforms.
Popular Gambling Games
Australians love casino gambling, especially pokies. “Pokie” is Aussie slang for “poker machine,” a term used to refer to slot machines. Australians love slot machines even more than Americans, spending billions of dollars on these games each year.
In fact...
...pokies wagering represents the largest gambling revenue segment across the industry. Australian casinos tend to host a game library similar to any Western gaming venue. Common table games include baccarat, craps, and blackjack, along with some popular games originating from Asia. Compared to the U.S. Or Europe, Tai Sai and Pai Gow are more popular in the Oceania region.
Lotteries are highly popular nationwide. The government was one of the first entities to establish a lottery system in the early 1920s. Initially operated by small government funds, lotteries later became a major gambling game operated by private entities. The two largest national lotteries are called Oz Lotto and Powerball.
Keno is a big money draw in Australia, comparable to the popularity of bingo in the U.S. This game is widespread, with many keno lounges in Australian cities, independent enterprises offering keno games, and some slot machines.
Bingo is a favorite
Federal laws allow both charity bingo and government-operated bingo and tournaments. They are often held in keno halls or large bingo venues. You'll frequently find both live and electronic bingo games at Australian casinos.
Sports Betting
Betting on sports events is also noteworthy. Most states have clear regulations stating that sports betting is entirely legal. The epicenters of sports betting activities nationwide are perhaps in Victoria and New South Wales. In these two states alone, there are over 3,000 betting booths and shops. It's also rare to find a casino in any Australian state without at least a small sports betting section.
Pari-mutuel betting is a cultural tradition of Australians. Since at least the mid-19th century, betting on races has become a familiar part of Australian society. A government agency, Racing Australia, oversees parimutuel betting. You'll find numerous racecourse betting facilities nationwide, and each sports betting shop also offers simulcast betting options. Once again, Victoria and New South Wales are the focal points of racecourse betting nationwide.
Poker
This card game is becoming a national pastime for Australians. Australia is the birthplace of the Asia-Pacific Poker Tour. Which poker player wouldn't dream of playing in the Aussie Millions tournament? Because Australia's attitude towards gambling in general is liberal, it's no surprise to see live poker games in pubs nearby. Sometimes these are friendly games, but cash games are also quite popular.
Are there any notable Australian popular gambling games?
Almost all the options mentioned are available online. One mostly absent option online in Australia is state-run lotteries. However, if you're a fan of lottery games, there are still online versions of scratch tickets and lottery-style games, and of course, those are legal for bookmaker free play in Australia.
Casino Offerings
Poker, roulette, sports betting and horse racing, bingo, keno, and casino games are offered to those living within the Commonwealth borders, and they are entirely legal. Consult territorial and federal laws or legal authorities on this matter if you're concerned about the legality of online gambling in Australia.
