Australian Gambling Law
Here’s a stereotype for you, Asian culture loves to gamble. This means that many Asian’s have been brought to Australian online gambling websites. Regardless of where you come from, you may not be up-to-date with the Australian way of gambling. Being a foreigner on the Aussie online casino websites can perhaps be confusing at times so knowing about the Australia gambling laws may help you to gamble more safely. Because in the end of the day, Aussie’s want nothing more than for you to have fun whilst gambling. Let’s take a look at Australian gambling laws and tips on how to gamble in the best way possible and earn some money with online real money pokies.
According to The Economist, Australians were named “The World’s Biggest Gamblers” with business growth of 15% year-to-year. No wonder with this growth the Australian legislators have a strict set of rules to protect the casinos and players so the fun can continue painlessly.
For years and years, the Australian gambling laws have been so far very liberal as they know gambling is a highly popular hobby for the Aussies. In 2001 the Interactive Gambling Act came to place, this means that betting at online casinos and poker rooms were not legal anymore. This did not, of course, stop the Australians from betting online as Aussie’s could wager at any other online casino company that was not Australian.
With so many offshore casino companies flaunting their law to gamble online, Aussies have made sure this hobby continues. It is only the gambling operators who are not allowed to offer or advertise real money casino services online in Australia but the players can still find somewhere to play without getting into to trouble.
Sports betting is legal in Australia where numerous states are licensed to keep sportsbooks in operation. The laws to bet on sportsbooks vary from state to state in Australia such as promotions but there are two laws that apply to all of the Australian states;
- Minimum of 18 years of age to gamble on sportsbooks
- The betting operator must obtain proof of identity from all of its customers
The IGA (Interactive Gambling Act), allows the sports betting operators to provide betting prior to the sports event. Online lottery companies are also legal in Australia.
The Aussie sports betting companies are against the ban on ‘in-play’ betting because of its popularity all across Europe. ‘In-play’ betting is the fastest form of betting at the moment, which means you can place a bet after the sports event has started. Hence the term ‘in-play’, you can place bets depending on what is happening during the live sports event which to most players increases their chances of winning more.
Many offshore sports betting providers are unaware of the Interactive Gambling Act and continue to allow live betting to Aussie citizens.
Australian Gambling Regulators
There are two levels to the Australian gambling regulations:
- The Central Government – The government takes an active role supervising gambling operators as well as ass amending and adding laws.
- The Regulators – The regulators act on behalf of the state and on a territorial level carrying out several functions with regional authorities.
Here’s a full list of gambling regulators in Australia along with the regions they have authority to act upon:
- ACT (Gambling and Racing Commission) – Australian Capital Territory
- Licensing Commission – Northern Territory
- Office of Liquor, Gaming, and Racing – New South Wales
- Independent Gambling Authority – South Australia
- Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation – Queensland
- Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation – Victoria
- Department of Racing, Gaming, and Liquor – Western Australia
- Tasmanian Gaming Commission – Tasmania
- Australian Broadcasting Authority – Managing across Australia allowing citizens to speak up about concerns involving any ads of any kind of interactive gambling.
IGA (Interactive Gambling Act 2001)
The Australian Commonwealth Parliament passed this act in 2001. This legislation targets online casino companies in Australia who intend to advertise interactive online casino gambling. The Australian Commonwealth Parliament’s intention for this act is to protect the general public in Australia from harmful, addictive gambling behavior. Although residents in Australia still have access to play on other offshore online casino operators without any legal repercussion. It is the online casino operators within the Australian borders who will face legal prosecutions if they advertise interactive real-money online casino gambling across all forms of media in Australia. This Interactive Gambling Act 2001 applies to all gambling operates located within Australia or abroad.
Keep in mind, this does not apply to sports betting. Sportsbooks are still allowed within or outside the borders to offer betting services before the live sports event. Online lottery operators are also exempt, all they need to do is to obtain a license and not offer any virtual scratch-off cards.
2017 Changes to Australian Gambling Legislation
More than a decade passed without any changes to IGA but in 2016 Alan Tudge the Minister of Human Services was given the task to bring Australia’s $20 billion casino industry up-to-date with modern standards. This shook the online gambling operators world a bit, as the new legislation came through in 2017 where all gambling operators in Australia must follow the new laws below:
- Sports betting operators have to join an online self-exclusion register within 3 months. The self-exclusion user needs to be subsequently blocked from their operating site and all other online sportsbook companies, on all smartphones, tablets, and computers.
- Online sportsbook operators have to offer a pre-commitment scheme to the players. This forces the sportsbooks companies to set betting limits to avoid any financial disappointments because of gambling.
- Sports betting companies are no longer allowed to offer the users credit or free bets in Australia. By setting this restriction it keeps players away from further debt.
How Australian Gambling Legislations Affects You
The Australian gambling laws have no restrictions for Aussie citizens to access online gambling operators. This means that it is completely legal for players to use the online operators. As mentioned it is the gambling operators that are set under strict laws and if broken will be hit with big legal fees, have their license taken away or be shut down.
If you do decide to gamble within Australia then it is worth to mention that Australia has favorable taxation laws. The act on betting on sports, pokies or lottery is seen as a recreational hobby and the winnings aren’t subject to taxation.
Australian Tips on Gambling
There are a few tips on how to become the next professional Aussie gambler. We are here to help our fellow countrymen and unfamiliar gamblers on how to break the bank with this exciting online and offline hobby. Here are some ways on how to increase your jackpot chances:
The importance of bankroll management – This is the first and most crucial piece of information as it will make a difference whether you go home with money or if you walk away empty-handed or even worse empty bank-handed! Protecting your finances is the first step to an exciting gambling adventure as this will reassure you to play safely and happily. There are various different systems that you as a gambler can choose from when playing on casinos or sports books. These systems have been developed from the gambling operators to avoid any big financial losses as well as gambling addictions. By following the set bankroll management systems you will be able to lose without worry and even more so win and feel elated! The calculators determine hands per hour to your expected losses so you can choose what suits your finances best when playing.
The first thing to decide is to know that you can afford to lose. This amount should be no larger than a third of what you have in your bank account as you will need money to spend on bills, food and anything else you might need for yourself or your family. The amount should be afforded to lose outside of your financial responsibilities so you never feel like you are losing. Gambling is an exciting activity that should feel like a treat when you invest your money into a casino or sports book. Remember, one of the most important tips is to be able to control yourself and gamble responsibly!
Pokies – There are three different ways to make sure your pokies advantages are on top, which are:
- Max Coins – What players don’t know about pokies is that playing on maximum coins does not necessarily increase your chances of a jackpot win. The difference in the percentage of winning a jackpot between betting on the max amount of coins and one coin is less than 1%. Think less is more as you will be pacing yourself during your gameplay and have better bankroll management. If you do win, your investments by playing with a fewer amount of coins have definitely been worth the while.
- Player Card – A player card tracks the gambling player’s spending habits. You’ll benefit hugely by using the player card because even if you don’t win, you can get other compensations such as free trips, hotel rooms or meals.
- Bonuses and Promotions – Always make sure you use your bonuses and promotions as it’s free money and free rounds! It would be stupid not to use the free offers as your free spins or extra bonus cash can lead you to a jackpot without having to spend any of your own money. Brilliant, isn’t it?
- Return To Player Percentage – A very important factor is to play a high RTP (Return to Player Percentage). The payback percentage can sometimes differ in the Australian states. Try and find the game with the highest RTP percentage which is 99%. This increases your chance of winning your money back or winning the big life-changing jackpot. By playing a high RTP game, your money is being invested well.
Blackjack – This table game is hugely popular and by using some basic strategies you can increase your chance of winning. Use a mathematical approach as it gives you the best chance of winning in the long-run when playing Blackjack. It might be easier for someone with a good memory to take the mathematical approach but it will definitely be worth your while. If you are playing offline, make sure you know that the players are responsible for gamblers and are not in it for foul-play or an addiction. This will allow you to play Blackjack in a nice and exciting atmosphere. Always avoid taking insurance against a blackjack dealer as it is not good for your wagering. Other than that, if you have the memory of Rainman, then being cheeky and counting cards might just be the best way.
Remember that each gambler has its own strategy and we have only scratched the surface for you. By following some of our gambling tips you may settle a bit more and eventually find your own “gambling-niche” when you become more experienced.