The history of betting in Australia started over 200 years ago. It began with a horse racing. However, it had become weaker and yielded to bingo and lottery. The last one was firstly established in Sydney in 1880. Yet, in the 20th century, poker machines took hold, and in 1956, they became lawful in some registered clubs in New South Wales. Therefore, the government had banned the land-based casinos until 1973.
As soon as the first virtual operator appeared in 1996, the Aussies could try it. That highlighted the era of online casino in Australia. Soon, the virtual realm accelerated the emergence of the legislative framework. Finally, the government passed the IGA to control the gaming activity and avert the harmful effects. Nowadays, the residents can easily enjoy fantastic games and win huge jackpots on hundreds of the websites.
How Gambling Became Legal
The first regulations on online playing were issued on the 3rd of May, 1996. Australian Gaming and Racing Authorities produced criteria, which operators should meet. These provisions include the opportunity of the venue to pay out winnings, restrictions for minors, periodic checks by independent auditors, safety of personal information, help to problem gamesters and so on.
However, in 1997, the amount of sites for money wagering exceeded 200 and continued to increase. In the response the government adopted the Internet Gambling Act (2001). That document limited sports betting and imposed penalties on the native providers for offering their services to the Aussies. Nevertheless, it contains no mention about customers.
What Are Pokies?
Many people wonder when they hear the word “pokies”. It’s just a slang name for all slots, which were hugely spread in bars and clubs before the internet appeared. The term became popular after the introduction of video machines featuring symbols of the cards. They required to make combinations similar to poker hands. While all those devices were standing together in the premises, they acquired a common name.
Nowadays, any game with reels is called that way in Australia. The interesting fact that the very top native appliance – “Clubman” was designed by Joe Heywood in 1953. The company-creator is also a local leader in the industry – Aristocrat.
The Future of Gambling in Australia
As of today, the online casino industry invests heavily in developing mobile gaming. Such platforms as iOS and Android, Windows, Blackberry contribute to spreading and support of the gambling house apps. This also provides the new experience for users in terms of gameplay similar to the one in desktop versions. One can say that such a focus is one of the key elements to the future success in playing. However, politicians tend to tighten the anti-gambling legislation and may introduce “smart-cards”.
They will track the person’s permission and whether the limit on losses wasn’t surpassed while utilizing pokies. In addition, the Coalition, headed by the Prime Minister, wants to review the IGA in order to strengthen the restrictions for offshore online casinos. It’s believed that they don’t comply with its requirements. Nevertheless, any changes won’t affect the ability of the Aussie to visit the sites.