Casinos in Australia

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Introduction

Australia, also known as the Commonwealth of Australia, is mainly known as the only country that covers a whole continent. It is also one of the largest countries around the globe!

While the southwest and southeast are where most of Australia's cities are located, over a third of the country is deserted! Surrounded by the Indian and Pacific oceans, all major cities except its capital, Canberra, are coastal.

Nevertheless, thanks to many attractions, the land down under is a popular tourist destination, with several million people visiting it yearly!

So, where does gambling fit in here?

Well, more than 20 land-based casinos across Australia show that Australians really love their gambling, while tourists are also treated with some of the best gambling parlors outside of Macau and Las Vegas!

For centuries, gambling has been an essential part of this country, so it comes as no surprise that these venues boast an excellent game selection complemented by even better services!

Having said that, these brick-and-mortar casinos also act as storehouses of history and tradition, maintaining classic games that have been appreciated for ages.

Over 80% of adults in Australia engage in gambling as a pastime, showing how much they love gambling!

The country has the world's highest gambling rate!

As per some statistics in 2022. conducted by the Australian Gambling Research Centre, 3 in 4 18+ Australians reported spending money on one or more gambling products during one year.

Regarding the popularity of games, lotteries, and scratchies had the highest percentage in popularity, followed by race betting, including horse and dog racing, then sports betting, and, in the end, poker machines!

Moreover, while the opening of the first official legal casino dates back to the 70s, Australians used to gamble and place bets years and even decades before that!

Although the laws and regulations have changed numerous times throughout history, the popularity of this pastime occupation has not diminished.

Speaking of the licensing and laws, read through this article as we will thoroughly examine how the rules have been changing and what the current regulations are!

History of Gambling

As we have already mentioned, Australian players have been gambling for centuries, so it comes as no surprise that this country is among the first ones to legalize online gambling.

Nowadays, online gambling is probably more popular in Australia than its land-based casinos, which is seen in the fact that it has experienced an 8% growth from 2020 to 2022 and continues to expand.

As per some stats, Australia had a market value of over AU$474.89 billion in 2023.

But when did it all start?

Gambling in Australia dates back centuries, with horse racing probably playing the most important part. It became Australia's first form of official gambling in 1810 at the order of Governor Macquarie.

In the 1850s, turf clubs emerged in every capital city in Australia, and this kind of betting became legal by 1930.

However, even before 1810, European settlers reached the Australian shores and brought a coin-based game named Two Up - which could be recognized as the beginning of gambling in this region!

While the first government-run lottery came to the land down under in 1916, the first slot machines were introduced later, in 1953, by a private company called Aristocrat.

It took 100 years after horse race betting became legal in Australia for the first legal casino to be opened.

The Wrest Point Hotel Casino in Tasmania opened its doors in 1973 after several years of legal battle for a casino license. Thanks to many European settlers at the time, games like blackjack, roulette, and baccarat gained immense popularity.

Legislation and Jurisdiction

Regarding modern gambling and the legalization process for gambling in Australia, these are relatively new.

The federal government took 15 years to design the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act (IGA), which regulates and prohibits some iGaming services, including online casino-style, online wagering services, and online slot machines.

However, compliance requirements in Australia vary among the states. The gambling industry is regulated by the Commonwealth and State and Territory authorities.

Other regulatory bodies governing gambling activities in Australia at the federal level are the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Communications and Medica Authority.

The key responsibilities of state gambling regulators include legal enforcement, monitoring compliance, and granting licenses.

Popular Sports & Games

Australian casinos have every game you can imagine, whether it's a simple bet on a horse race or a cricket match, a spin on a modern slot machine, or a spin on the roulette wheel. There are also government-run lotteries, some of which are operated by private firms!

In New South Wales, over half of adults gamble yearly, making them the largest gamblers in the country. Furthermore, New South Wales has half of the country's poker machines, proving the game's popularity!

Similarly to the rest of the world, slot machines are extremely popular in Australia, with over 200,000 in operation at the moment!

Banking

Expectedly, credit and debit cards dominate the market, with e-wallets and bank transfers also being used in smaller portions. Other popular options include instant banking, prepaid cards, and, of course, cryptocurrencies.

Regarding online gambling, in 2023, the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill prohibited the use of credit cards when using regulated interactive gambling services in order to prevent people from betting with money they didn’t have.

However, there is another option called PayID that was designed to make it faster and easier for Australian players to make deposits and request withdrawals, while lots of banks and credit unions in Australia support it.

Conclusion

Gambling plays a huge part in Australia. When it comes to land-based establishments, each city has a casino, and each has its unique rules and regulations!

While there are over 20 full-scale casinos, hundreds of smaller venues with poker machines also exist, making it easy for players to find what they need!