Online Casino Laws in Australia: Current Regulations and Future of Gambling
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Gambling is popular in Australia in all forms. Gambling Capital ranks Australia as the number one gambling destination.
Some statistics:
The average per capita amount wagered per year is $1288. Public spending on gambling has grown by 7.7% over the past year, the highest in the world.
On average, players spend approximately $18 per week.
An estimated 80% of both men and women participate in gambling at least once a year.
Around 39% of the adult population, totalling 7 million individuals, engage in various forms of gaming regularly and monthly.
Offline gambling primarily attracts a male audience, comprising 62-77% of participants. The typical Australian gambler is around 39 years old, with an average annual income of up to $119,000.
The audience is fairly evenly split, with 54.2% men and 46.8% women.
Approximately 64% of surveyed players fall within the age range of 30 to 64.
Online Gambling in Australia
Based on publicly available statistics, the best online casino Australia real money games are the fastest-growing gaming market in the country. The market is growing at an annual rate of 15%.
The mobile wagering market has grown 4 times in the last six years alone. For example, in 2012, the share of players betting from mobile devices was 5.6%; by 2018, this share had grown to 22.7%. Every year, this share grows more and more, following global trends.
The Online Gambling Act (IGA) in Australia prohibits online casino operators and poker providers from providing services, although sports betting and lotteries are allowed. And to top it all off, the actions of players visiting banned sites are not regulated. Prohibitions are prohibitions, but the shadow market of online gaming in Australia is growing; in 2019, it was 6%.
Local virtual casinos can only provide their services to overseas gamers. If they open access to slots to Australians, the government will penalise them under the Gambling Act passed in 2003.
Australians can play online slots on overseas sites, subject to the government’s requirements. Gambling is regulated at the local, inter-regional and state-wide level. That is, small virtual clubs offering their services in small towns in Australia are destined to work only briefly. The regulatory authorities will immediately identify them.
Online Casino Licence
Suppose you are starting in the world of gambling in Australia. You need to understand which online sites are safe and licensed. The best online casinos in Australia use a licence from the regulatory body of Curacao, which is an important indicator of an honest and responsible virtual casino.
Be sure to check the validity of the licence, as there are unscrupulous sites that pass off an expired licence as an official document. Such sites are illegal in Australia, and what’s more, they cannot guarantee your winnings.
