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Australians love to gamble, whether it involves playing at an upscale casino or wagering on the results of a coin toss down at the pub. Online gambling in Australia has also been on the rise in recent years, a trend that’s expected to continue as more residents obtain Internet service or mobile devices.
We’ve compiled a list of our recommended betting sites in Australia. The list contains gambling websites that provide sports betting, casino games, live dealer casino games, bingo and slots games.
When rating and reviewing gambling sites for Australian users, we use a strict set of critera to determine legitimacy. Sites are assessed by security, safety, deposit and withdrawal methods, features, game selection, welcome bonuses and ongoing promotions and custer service.
100%
up to $2,000 + 20 Free Spins
$125 FREE!
with $25 deposit
500%
up to to $7,500
According to recent studies, the average Australian resident spends AUD $1,172 on gambling each year. More than 80% of the population engages in some form of gaming, with annual losses falling into the range of $20 billion. In 2014, the gambling industry generated $5.44 billion in tax revenue for the nation.
While the largest percentage of yearly gaming expenditures go to land-based options such as pokies (slot machines), the online industry is beginning to close the gap. Australians spend AUD $960 million annually on Internet gambling, with more than half of this going to licensed virtual bookmakers.
Most residents view online and land-based gaming as harmless fun, but opponents point to a number of causes for concern. Gamblers who play on a weekly basis are estimated to spend around AUD $7,000 annually, and those with addictions can run through almost $1,500 per hour (with an average loss of $21,000 per year).
Teenagers are also becoming more involved in online gambling, with a recent poll finding that 2% have tried real-money gaming sites. Considering that 18 to 24-year-olds play pokies more than any other age group, it’s not surprising that the younger generation would quickly turn to the Internet as their source of entertainment.
There are two main schools of thought on this subject. The first involves the history of the nation and a long-standing idea of “big risk, big reward.” Settling Australia was no easy task, and those involved often faced a hardscrabble and sometimes lawless existence. Gambling was a way to pass the time, and it also held the promise of immediately improving their lot in life (at least for a little while).
This acceptance (and sometimes love) of gambling has been passed down through the generations. While their counterparts from other nations carefully watch bank balances and fret over every expense, the classic Aussie throws caution to the wind, risks his paycheck on a potential profit, and then buys a pint for his mates.
The second opinion on the subject has to do with money and marketing. Pokies and other gaming options are available in hotels, pubs, and other public places, so the average Aussie is constantly bombarded with opportunities to gamble. Combine this with the government’s reluctance to interfere with a cash cow that generates billions in tax revenue, as well as no taxes on player winnings, and you have a situation where residents become willing slaves to the gaming industry.
The most significant piece of Australian legislation involving online gaming is the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001. Put in place by the Commonwealth Parliament to protect citizens, it prohibits Australian-based companies from offering Internet gaming to residents. For those who enjoy virtual gambling, however, there are a number of convenient exceptions.
Firstly, offshore gambling sites may legally offer their services to Australian players. However, they may not advertise their sites via radio, television, or billboard ads.
Sportsbooks and lotteries operate under a different set of rules. If either one of these services is licensed to operate a land-based business in an Australian state or territory, then they may also provide a virtual counterpart for customers within the licensed region.
If an online casino wants to base its operations in Australia, it can legally offer its services to players residing in other countries. The only exception involves nations that prohibit offshore gambling and have sent a formal request to Aussie authorities.
Stiff financial penalties are in place for any operation found in violation of the Interactive Gambling Act. Individuals directly involved with the offending organization can be fined up to $220,000 per day, while the actual company faces a $1.1 million daily penalty.
The nation’s most important piece of legislation involving gambling was put into place by the Commonwealth of Australia, but territories and states usually have free reign to make their own decisions. If you’d like to know more about the land-based and online gambling regulations within a specific part of Australia, I suggest visited the official website of one of the following government bodies:
Please note that the Northern Territory isn’t included on the above list. Oversight in this region for everything from prostitution to gambling was once overseen by the Licensing Commission, which existed from 2000 to 2014. This commission has been abolished, however, and replaced with a position known as the Director-General of Licensing. At this time, no website exists for the individual or their office.
To the best of our knowledge (disclaimer: we’re not lawyers and this information is for entertainment-purposes only), online gambling in Australia is legal, but there are certain requirements that need to be met. An Aussie-based gaming site can offer their business to foreign clients, but homegrown customers are prohibited. Gaming sites outside of Oz are perfectly within the law, and they can provide services to any citizen that meets the minimum age requirement.
