Online vs. offline gambling in Australia, this is the question. Or more accurately perhaps it might be: Is there a difference between the two in terms of legality in Australia? What about accessibility? Is there a general local preference for one over the other? And can’t you enjoy them both? Yes, yes, no and yes once more. They are governed by slightly different laws, there are definitely differences in terms of accessibility, they are probably both equally loved by the people, and indeed they can both be enjoyed in turn. But of course there’s more to it than that. Let’s explain.
As you likely know, gambling is a popular pastime here in Australia. In fact, Australia is by many counts the country that gambles the most. That is 80% of our population reports placing bets of some kind throughout the year. We’re not sure what it is about the Australian character that makes us love gambling so much (a different article to determine that perhaps), but so it is. We love gambling Down Under. Pokies are a particularly beloved preference with an incredible 4% of adults reporting that they engage in pokies play once a week, and some 20-40% of people playing pokies annually.
Where and when exactly this great love affair began is not entirely clear. The experts say we’ve been gambling in one form or another for centuries now. The European settlers who first came here brought with them casino games like blackjack and roulette, whose popularity quickly spread, long before the first casino came around. Pokies machines officially made their first appearance here in 1956, when they were legalised by the government of New South Wales, though only for use in registered clubs. In 1973, casinos themselves were legalised, with the first Australian casino making its home in Tasmania. After that, the pokies craze took hold, and today Australia has one of the highest number of poker machines per capita, at a recent count of one machine per 114 people!
As a whole, gambling is legal in Australia. This includes a whole host of gambling activities including horse betting, lotteries, sports betting parlours, and casinos. All of these activities are regulated by the Australian government. As such, all casinos must be granted a license in order to operate. Pokies themselves are legal, but only within a casino framework or at bars and similar such venues with valid gambling licensing. And if you were wondering, none of the winnings from these activities are taxed. That’s because gambling is officially considered a hobby rather than a form of income here.
Online gambling specifically is covered by what is known as the Interactive Gambling Act. It was created by the Australian government in 2001 as a way to protect the public from what were seen as potentially negative effects on locals caused by excessive and unregulated gambling online. According to this law, it is illegal for an online gambling operator to operate in Australia, and for Australians to use such a gambling site. However, if the online casino is based overseas, Australians are free to access it lawfully. There are other nuances within the law, but for you the player, what is important to know is that you can play away without legal fear.
So in a nutshell, to summarise the question regarding differences between the legality of online and offline gambling in Australia, there really aren’t any at the end of the day. Both types of gambling are totally legal here, so long as the establishment you’re playing at is lawful and licensed.
In Australia, there are many place where you can play pokies games offline. These include bars, hotel lobbies, and other similar venues. There are also a good number of licensed casinos in Australia. There’s the Star Casino in Sydney, the Casino Canberra in our capital, and the Crown Casino in Melbourne to name but a few. In fact, there are so many casinos of different tastes and styles, Australia has grown to become a rather popular casino vacation destination, for locals and tourists alike.
That being said, since Australia is such a big country, it’s quite possible you don’t live all that close to a casino. In fact, for many of us, a casino visit could be a considerable car ride away. Plus, even if you were up for the drive, perhaps you don’t feel like getting dressed up, or even talking to people. Sometimes you want to play, here and now, without any investment or effort on your part.
This is what makes online casinos so appealing to Australians, and pretty much everyone around the world. You can access an online casino from any place at any time. All you need is an internet connection and a computer or mobile device like a tablet or smartphone. In other words, while land-based casinos are very accessible to Australians (and we’re thankful for that), online casinos are even more accessible. Either way, however, you will have to prove you are over 18 in order to play.
While where to gamble is a matter of taste, here are a few main reasons why many Australian players would say online casinos make for a better choice:
On the flip side, there are certainly many reasons why one would opt to play at a land-based casino. Among them are:
All of those reasons for wanting to play at one establishment over another are great. But at the heart of the casino is its games, so perhaps this realm should be weighed most.
In general, you will find the same basic casino games at both types of casinos. Offline casinos will often focus more heavily on table and card games as they are the more social formats. Online casinos for their part tend to promote pokies more extensively as pokies are their biggest offering and largest appeal. In line with this thought, a game like craps which is very popular in offline casinos is often lacking at online casinos, or buried within its offering. Scratch cards, however, can be found at online casinos, but not at offline casinos as far as we know.
As for the game play itself, as a whole, it is fairly similar. The online versions are designed to replicate as much as possible the experience of offline play. That means for pokies, there’s a ‘Spin’ button to get the reels moving, a screen tap to deal cards in blackjack, and similar such functionality for roulette and other games.
Overall, it’s safe to say, the types of games you’ll find at offline and online casinos are quite similar, with each casino choosing to focus on different game types as it sees fit.
The type of casino gambling you should choose is not a zero sum game. That means it is not an either or question. From our experience, it is actually preferable to choose both. Think about it like this: You can read a newspaper on Sunday on your sofa and your favourite online news source from your phone that very same day, right? Both give you pleasure in different ways. Same goes for casinos.
There is a distinct thrill in visiting an Australian casino, live and in person. It’s an outing full of adventure and adrenaline. A special thing to do every now and then. But in between, visiting an online casino is a great way to enjoy some gambling as well. Sure it’s not as social, but it’s definitely more convenient, which is a huge advantage in our books. You just open the internet and you’re there. So instead of choosing we simply say, try them both. Online gambling and offline gambling are equally good options for us lucky folks here in Australia.