Introduction
Australians are known for their gambling habits worldwide. According to statistics, Australians spent approximately $208 billion on playing gambling games in the year 2016-17. This amount multiplied to a total of nearly $242 billion in subsequent years. Currently, the amount of Australians to play casino games in 2020 is projected at a total of 2.3 million people. This huge amount of participation accounts for 80% of the total adult Australian population, which is the highest percentage for any country.
The history of gambling in Australia dates back to the time it was initially inhabited by migrants. Gradually, as the Australian population grew and its culture emerged, gambling became one of the most popular sports for its people. Today, as per the current statistics stated above, Australia is deemed as one of the largest casino games market, whether played online or offline.
Since Australia is one of the largest gambling markets in the world, it would be justified to shed some light on more details about its gambling industry. This is exactly what this informative write-up is all about: to give readers a glimpse into every tiny bit of detail about the Australian gambling industry which is there to know.
Regulating the Australian Gambling Industry
Australia’s gambling industry consists of online sports betting, online casino games and offline betting, and gambling games. The statistics mentioned above covered the whole of the gambling industry. In 2011, the rate of online casino gaming rose from 1% to 8%, and until today, this rate has been increasing at an alarming rate.
Given their love for gambling, the Australians’ gambling habits have been regulated by their government since the start. Currently, the Australian casino gaming industry is regulated by the Commonwealth as a whole. Parts of it are regulated by states, and territories, which include Australian Capital Territory’s Gambling and Racing Commission, South Australia’s Independent Gambling Authority, and the New South Wales Office of Liquor, Gaming, and Racing. In addition to these institutes, the Northern Territory’s Licensing Commission and the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation are also included in this list.
The Rise of Online Gambling in Australia
The 1900s saw the rise of online gambling in Australia which led the Australian government to think of ways to tax online gambling sites in order to earn revenue. Initially, the Australian Commonwealth Parliament tried to limit the online sites’ interaction with Australian players by passing a 2001 Gambling Act.
However, this strategy failed since Australians’ love for online gambling kept growing and international casinos that were gambling online found their ways into their homes. Thus in 2017, the Australian government made amendments to the 2001 Gambling Act allowing room for online gambling sites after further licensing. The amendments also included allowing more options for the player to opt-out of online casino games whenever they wanted and ways to prohibit gambling addiction.
Over time online casino games became quite popular in Australia. Online casinos offer slots, poker, video poker and all sorts of casino games that can be played from anywhere with ease.
Best Online Casino Websites in Australia
Australian online casino gaming market has become saturated yet players need to know which online casinos they should and should not trust with their money. A list of Australia’s top online casinos has been compiled below. This list is based on attributes such as offers and bonuses, friendly and accessible customer support, range of games offered, entertainment, compatibility will all kinds of devices and software and safety of monetary transactions.
- JokaRoom: https://www.jokaroom.com/en
- Kahuna: https://www.kahunacasino.com/
- Play Amo: https://www.playamo.com/
- FairGo Casino: https://onlinecasino61.com.au/casinos/fair-go-casino/
- Mucho Vegas: https://www.muchovegascasino.com/
- BaoCasino: https://www.baocasino.com
All of these casinos offer live dealer games, poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps, keno, bingo, pai gow poker, let it ride and 3 card poker. In addition to this, all of these websites can easily be accessed on mobile and desktop/laptops.
Another reason why these 5 stands out from the rest of online gambling sites is that they have a minimum deposit threshold and they allow players to gamble with a small deposit of $10 only.
Since in online casino Australia, real money is involved, secure monetary transactions are one of the major concerns. The websites listed above offer safe monetary transactions and easy withdrawal options. Their financial matters are dealt with in partnership with companies like Visa, MasterCard, Skrill, Bitcoin, and Neteller, all of them backing their payment methods, hence giving gamblers the confidence to enter the world interactive gambling without hesitation.
Online Casinos to Watch Out For
Just like a list of best interactive gambling sites has been compiled, in the same way, some of the worst gambling sites have also been enlisted here. These include Lake Palace, Vernons Casino, and Orange Gamez.
These sites have been blacklisted because of their rate of scams and unfair rules of playing casino games. Their payout rate is nowhere near close to the standard and they are just rip-offs. These websites offer no real-time support to newbie gamblers and lure them into their trap by getting people to post fake reviews about them.
The Impact of Online Gambling on Australians
While the online gambling industry is booming in Australia on one hand, on the other it is affecting the public’s life in a negative way. Despite all the efforts made by the Australian government to avoid gambling addiction, Australian adults are falling into the non-stop cycle of interactive gambling which is consequently impacting their social life.
From mood disorders to stress, anger and irritability, all of these are slowly and gradually settling into the lives of an Australian gambling adult. In order to help people cope with their gambling addiction and restore their relationships with their family, the Australian government has issued web addresses such as https://www.gamblinghelponline.org.au/, http://www.problemgambling.gov.au/, and http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/addresses.
These websites contain resources and provide support to people seeking help for gambling addiction. These websites and helpline can be accessed by the gambler’s family member or friend too in case they want to report the gambler’s problems.
Final Words
An overview of Australia’s gambling industry and its stats reveals the fact Australians not only have access to local gambling sites but also international online casinos. While the Australian government is trying its best to regulate the gambling industry and save its people from gambling addiction, the truth is online gambling is bearing a negative impact on Australian youths’ minds and behaviors.
According to statistics, Australians lose nearly $25 billion every year on their bets which is a huge amount. Even though the top gambling sites listed here are the best in their fair treatment of people and supportive conduct, still a lot needs to be done to bring down the craze of online gambling.
