Many of the residents in Australia have stated that they play casino games at least once a week. Pokies are by far the most popular casino games in this country. The name pokie is a regional slang that stands for slot machines. But, just because this type of game is the most popular, that doesn’t mean that Australians are not fond of other casino games such as roulette, poker, blackjack, and various live dealer games.
Benefits of gambling in AUS
The gambling industry in Australia is one of the most profitable industries in the country. One interesting statistic showed that over the course of 6 months (1 December 2017 – 31 May 2018), NSW Clubs made a net profit of almost $2 billion, which is incredible. Approximately 95,800 of the pokies in all of Australia are located in New South Wales. This state is only beaten by Nevada who operates twice as much – approximately 181,109.
There are numerous benefits that the Australian government has with the great deal of success that the gambling industry has. Some of those benefits include numerous employment and millions of dollars in taxes. The money and the employment rate help the economy grow and thus, the government in Australia is able to invest the money and better the lives of its people.
Land-based casinos vs online casinos
Land-based casinos and online casinos are treated differently, though. While land-based casinos are allowed to operate and offer their services to all people of legal age (the legal age is 18), online casinos have a bit more complex relationship. Before online gambling was introduced to the people, the Federal government had a bit more active approach in the regulation of this industry, but ever since online casinos became popular, various state and territory authorities gained power and had a more active role.
Hence, gambling in Australia is legislated at a state and territory level, not by the Commonwealth. Some of the acts that deserve a mention are the Casino Control Act 2006 (Australian Capital Territory), Betting Tax Act 2001 (New South Wales), Gaming Control Act 2005 (Northern Territory), Keno Act 1996 (Queensland), as well as the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, which was passed by the Australian Commonwealth Parliament.
The Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 is mostly targeted at online gambling operators, and it states that it is an offense for the operators to offer real-money games to the residents of Australia. But, the Act also states that companies that are based in Australia are allowed to offer their services outside the country, except the countries that are marked as 'designated countries’. It goes without saying that the gambling scene and regulations in this country are a bit complicated, which is why they deserve to be looked at more closely.