The online casino landscape in Australia and how Aussies choose an online casino
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Gambling is a prevalent activity in Australia, with more than 80 percent of the adult folk participating in some gambling. While the Irish might have specific expectations for online casinos, the Australian anticipation of online gambling might differ completely.
For example, the sports played in Australia and Ireland are also different. Therefore, they might bet on other sports. So, what do Australians look for in an online casino?
An Overview of Australian Casinos
Unlike other countries, Australia's gambling landscape isn't narrowed down to one government. Instead, each state has its regulations and laws which regulate the gambling market.
At the same time, there is national regulation, which lays the basis for online gambling regulations. This federal gambling law makes it illegal for providers to offer online casino services to citizens. However, this doesn't necessarily mean Australians cannot access online casinos in Australia as you can play at offshore online casinos.
The Australian Gambling Market
Because of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, several types of online gambling are illegal for providers to offer Australians. This is everything from online casinos to sports betting, whether through a website or a mobile phone.
But because states like Victoria allow licensed gambling providers to offer online gambling products like casino games, the rules aren't black and white.
So, as long as people in Victoria, for example, choose licensed and registered online casinos, gambling is legal. As numbers show, online gambling is still widespread in the country.
An Australian Gambling Research Centre survey shows that online and land-based gambling participation was 56.9 percent in 2019. In contrast, online gambling increased by 9.4 percent from 2010-11. While 80 percent of men have spent money on gambling the last year in 2022, 66.2 percent of women have also spent money on gambling.
The Types of Games
So, what do Australians with access to online gambling decide to play? The Australian Gambling Research Centre survey shows that lotteries or 'scratchies' are among the most popular activities. In 4th place is poker machines, where 39.9 percent of Australian men have gambled in 2022.
While online casinos are becoming more popular worldwide, they have not reached as much popularity in Australia as in other countries, as 17 percent of Australians wagered on online casino games like table games and slot machines, also known as pokies, in 2022.
One explanation could be that online casinos are legal in some states, as the lack of access might make it challenging for Australians to participate.
Betting Is Popular
Since Australia is also a big sports nation, it is no wonder that sports betting has become a popular activity. These are sports like rugby, which has a rich cultural history as it has shaped the national identity of Australians. But even more popular than sports betting is horse racing. Betting on horses has been one of the preferred gambling activities.
Especially in New South Wales, horse racing dates back to 1810, when the first official horse racing meeting in Australia was held. Since its introduction, horse racing has become a popular pastime since 14.3 billion Australian dollars was wagered in 2009-10.
When Australians wish to participate in a type of gambling, many of them will likely choose horse racing or sports betting.
The Legislation
Besides the national gambling law, the different states have the authority to monitor the gambling activities within the state. These are gambling commissions like the ones in Tasmania, Victoria, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.
When Australians must choose an online casino, most will look for a licensed one. Some gamblers will also choose to play at offshore casinos since they often offer better or bigger bonuses than at their local online casinos.
However, since they don't fall under Australian laws, they might be unregulated and unsecured for Australian gamblers. While this is the case in other countries, an interesting fact is how Australian gamblers won't have to pay taxes on their winnings. This is because gambling is not considered a profession; therefore, the winnings aren't viewed as income.
The Variety of Games
An important criterion for those who try their luck with online casinos is the types of games provided. This is why Australians often go on comparison sites to find the online casinos with the most considerable variety of games or the specific games they wish to play.
Since some states might not allow for that many online casinos, there might be limits to the number of games available.
Responsible Gambling
Because many Australians engage in online gambling, it is essential to stress the importance of responsible gambling. Unfortunately, there is a public policy issue with gambling in Australia since some deal with addiction, which can ultimately impact their finances, family, and work.
This is why the Australian government has introduced initiatives for players to self-exclude. This underlines the importance of licensed casinos, where self-exclusion and other initiatives to cut down on one's gambling are available.
