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The Australian Gambling Love Affair With Online Gambling

In Australia, everyone loves a punt. In fact, Australian gambling has been on the rise over the last decade, to the point where the country has overtaken Hong Kong as the number one gambling nation in the world. Aussies have a culture of betting and gambling. They don't see this activity as something negative and fully embrace all gambling activities, be they sporting events or casino games. Now with the introduction of internet casinos, Aussies can enjoy their favourite pastime at all times.

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The Australian Gambling Love Affair

It might sound like some sort of stereotype, but these days Australians love to gamble. As a nation, they seem to have an obsession with both online and offline gambling. With any and every kind of opportunity to have a punt on anything at all, seen as an opportunity to make a few quick bucks. Whether it’s international sporting events, horse racing, rugby, rules football, or cricket, Aussies love to gamble. It’s the same story with casino games, lotteries, and jackpot slots. But now we are seeing a huge increase in the number and types of gamblers. This leads us to the inevitable question of why? Why is it that Australians, just like the Chinese, are so deeply into all forms of gambling?

Many people point out the reason that all gambling activities, across all areas, are on the increase in the Antipodes. They say it’s one of natural progression. To put it another way, it’s a generational thing. With each succeeding generation wanting to gamble more than the previous one. Right now, online gambling seems to have taken over many forms of hobbies and activities. The new pastime standard for millions of Australians is to win the jackpot online.

The Meteoric Growth of Australian Gambling

More recently some rather alarming figures have come to light with reference to the amount of cash being spent in Australia on gambling activities. It was noted that over the course of a three-month period, a total of 6.5 billion Australian dollars was spent across the country. This breaks down to an astounding $1,000 for each and every Australian citizen. To put this in perspective, the next country on the list for spending on gambling is Hong Kong. But they fail to reach even 50% of the total spent for each Australian. For comparison, in the US and the UK, we can see that the average gambler spends around a mere $300 a person.

This still leaves the question as to why Aussie gambling is on the increase. One weird factor to come out of these studies is that the number of people taking part in gambling across Australia has actually fallen over the last decade. In 2000, if you asked Australians about the number of them who were taking part in gambling activities, then the figure comes back as 80%. Fast forward to 2014, and the same question elicits a response of around 65%. Conversely, during this same period of player decline, online gambling was rising at a massive rate.

“We’ve seen a drop in participation in gambling on a per-capita basis, but the expenditure on gambling hasn’t dropped,” Australian Gambling Research Centre manager Anna Thomas said.“What we are seeing is a smaller group of people gambling more heavily.” Essentially all these numbers bow down to the fact that fewer gamblers are spending more money. And it’s 100% sure that you can thank the internet for this.

People Love Pokies

Australians have an obsession with video poker, with these machines even having the nickname of “pokies.” The vast majority of all bets and all gambling that takes place in Australia is the money going into pokies. When you talk with people within the Australian casino industry, they all seem to have a pretty clear idea as to why gambling is on the increase. The theory is that the proliferation of gambling has a direct link to how their economy is doing. In other words, if there’s an improvement in the country’s economy, then you’ll see all gambling activities go up and up. Conversely, a slow economy will cause the money spent on gambling to decrease. On an individual level, this makes absolute sense.

But there is also another school of thought. This believes that gambling is now an integral part of the Australian way of life. No matter how the economy functions, people will gamble even when times are tight. It appears that even if the economy was to tank, many people would still put aside some funds for spending in casinos to win the jackpot.

The Rise of Online Gaming

When you have a society that’s enamoured with all forms of gambling, then you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see that when the internet was introduced, with 24/7 casinos operating year-round, the result was going to see a big increase in the amount of gambling. And we can see that in Australia across all online casinos. Before the age of the internet, gambling was a ritual social activity for many Australians. So everyone was wondering, what would happen with the introduction of gambling online? Especially if you like to gamble in the company of your friends and family. And in an environment surrounded by other gamblers?

Just as in all countries where internet gambling has been introduced, it’s the sheer convenience of being able to whip out your phone and start playing after tapping your finger on the screen a couple of times. In Australia, gambling on portable devices has led to a huge shift in the way people gamble. Although, in fairness, we should point out that this is happening across the world.

Another factor that makes playing online more tempting is the fact that player percentages and the terms and conditions tend to be much more lenient than you might find in a real land-based casino. Obviously, this comes down to the very low overheads that online casinos have to carry when compared to real brick and mortar ones. Going to a site like Casinoin.io makes you realise just how different and how much better online casinos are when compared with land-based casinos. For the real live casino feel, they offer live dealer games.

Australian Gambling: Make the Right Choice

Choosing an online casino is a universal theme, no matter where you’re based in the world. It goes without saying, that to have the best gambling experience online, you’ll need to make the right choices at the beginning when you are first searching for an online casino to play at. Here at jackpotfinder.com we always recommend that you look first and foremost at the licence the casino possesses. Always ensure that it comes from a reputable licensing authority. This also depends a great deal on which country the casino is based in. If you’re looking for somewhere to play in Australia, then your best to choose a casino as close to home as possible. And obviously, one that accepts the Australian dollar as its base currency.

Another important factor is not being blindsided by any tempting bonuses. No matter if they’re welcome bonuses or no deposit bonuses any new casino will be offering all new players. As the old adage says; “if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.” Always take the time to read the site’s terms and conditions before you actually sign up. Another thing to look out for is the payout percentages. Have a look on the internet for personal reviews on the particular casino you have an interest in. Though make sure that they are as unbiased as possible. Real feedback from real gamers is worth its weight in gold. You’ll always find great feedback on Casinoin.io. They accept players from Australia. And they also offer all new players a great welcome bonus of 100% up to €200 plus 60 free spins.

The Bigger Picture

Although the Australian love of gambling is part of its culture, it’s also part of its economy. A recent survey found that the Australian gambling industry, whether partaking in online jackpot games or at the casino or sports track, managed to generate well over 25 billion AU dollars in annual revenues. This is a significant 75% increase from the 1980s. Also, we kept in mind that the real casino industry employs over 20,000 people, plus all the other associated jobs. Now, if we include all Australian online entities, then the total of workers goes up to over 60,000 jobs. It also represents a massive 30% increase in employment within the industry over the last decade.

In some countries, like the UK, gambling is strictly controlled by government bodies. This is to the point where there are limits on the amount that can be bet. Also, the use of credit cards is now banned. So it’s interesting to see how a country like Australia has decided to embrace gambling and the income it generates. There will always be those who criticize the gambling industry and also those players who may develop problems with gambling. But nevertheless, the Australian gambling industry is a billion-dollar business, that appears to be here to stay for some time.