With Australia’s online gambling landscape expanding at a strong pace over the past decade, it is no wonder that country residents are so much in love with online pokies and play casino games on a regular basis. From the beginning, the home-grown online gambling market was characterized by a lack of regulation and a relatively small-player, high-house bookkeeper industry. However, everything has changed significantly. Keep reading this post to learn more about Australian online casinos and the future of the online gambling industry. But if you are ready for a fun game, then you can always head to the OnlineCasinoGo casino review site for the most up-to-date and unbiased information related to gambling in Australia.
With the arrival of the National Lotteries (Pty) Limited and, later, the Australian Interactive Gambling Industry Association (AIGIA) in 1996, Australia became the first country to offer its residents the chance to play online, a feat it repeated in 2013 with the inclusion of video lottery terminals (VLTs). While there were issues with the early days of online gambling in Australia, including the lack of consumer protection laws, as the industry continues to develop, there are a number of improvements that we’re likely to see in the years to come.
As the online gambling landscape continues to grow and diversify, some things are likely to change. This includes the way that Australian gamblers access and play their favorite games, but also how they get paid, and the types of products and services they are offered. Anyway, the online gambling industry and pokies are extremely popular today.
Australia’s Online Gambling Industry Is Growing Rapidly
Source: australiantimes.co.uk
Australia is making a rapid ascent towards the acceptance of online gambling, and that’s evident in the figures we’re seeing today. In the 12 months to March 2024, IGEA reports that Australians spent a total of $4 billion on online gaming, up from $15.1 billion in the preceding 12 months and a 5.6% rise from the previous year.
It’s not surprising that the fastest-growing segments are the mobile, poker, and casino categories, particularly in light of the growth they’re currently experiencing. With the average Australian adult now owning four mobile devices, there are plenty of opportunities for them to play online. Poker players can also now access games online on their PCs or laptops and are able to play more than they ever could in a land-based poker room.
In 2024, over 16 million Australians logged on to an online casino, compared to just 6.7 million who played online pokies in 2019. Australia’s online gambling industry has been growing steadily over the past decade, which is seen as a testament to the way that the market is evolving in the digital age. From a regulatory perspective, the arrival of the Interactive Gambling Industry Association (AIGIA) in 1996 helped to standardize the online gambling landscape, which has contributed to a greater sense of security for both gamblers and online operators.
This in turn has allowed online gambling to grow faster, with consumers no longer having to worry about issues such as customer protection and anonymity. AIGIA has led the way in making the online gambling industry more secure and has helped to create a strong foundation for growth in the industry, giving online operators and punters comfort. It’s easy to see why the online gambling industry has grown so rapidly in Australia, and it’s likely to continue to expand into new areas as the market continues to evolve and diversify.
Why Is the Online Gambling Industry so Popular in Australia?
The world’s second-largest Internet market behind the United States is Australia. Online gambling is extremely popular in Australia. Country residents play online pokies on a regular basis and spend thousands of bucks on their hobby. It is very similar to the gambling situation in Canada, where gambling fans come to CasinoLuck.ca when they search for a decent casino and spend a couple of hours playing their favorite casino games. There are three reasons why Australians love online gambling.
#1 – Well-Thought-out Market Regulation
Australia was the first country that introduced the online gambling industry and its regulations on it. In the 1990s, when the gambling market was only in its infancy, the government issued gambling licenses to small numbers of online operators in Australia. The online operators were then known as “virtual sports book operators,” and their market share was just around 3.5%.
With time, online operators developed their own game titles, and soon enough, the online gambling market began to grow rapidly. In 2008, the market share of online gambling operators reached about 15.6%. As the market share increased, regulatory requirements began to rise to meet the growing market demand.
The online gambling market in Australia was almost completely banned in 2008. But the online gambling operators had already gained considerable popularity by then. In fact, the number of Internet gambling users was already about 7.5 million in 2007. That is, in a little more than seven years, the total number of Internet gamblers in Australia had already surpassed the number of the country’s entire population. However, it should be noted that in the same period, the entire population of Australia has also grown rapidly. Therefore, the market share of the online gambling industry was still quite small.
However, the number of online gamblers has exceeded 15 million as of 2009. Thus, it can be said that the number of online gamblers in Australia in the early 2010s was about the same as that of online gamblers in the United States. Even now, the online gambling market in Australia is not only the largest but also one of the most promising.
#2 – Technological Development
The second reason for the popularity of the online gambling industry in Australia is the rapid development of the technology used in the industry. So the Australian online gambling operators made the most out of it. Australia is no longer behind the United States in developing technologies in other industries. In addition, some important technologies that were once developed only in the United States and other developed countries have already been developed and spread throughout the world. VR, AR, blockchain, and machine learning – these are some of the high-tech solutions that are changing the online gambling market.
What is more, Australia is that the country is a leader in developing technologies that are used in the industry. The rapid development of technology is mainly due to the presence of such technological leaders as Apple and Microsoft. Australian companies have also been the leading global suppliers of Internet technology in recent years.
Although the government of Australia is quite active in promoting the online gambling industry, it is not the local authority body that holds a monopoly on gambling activities in the country. The government is responsible for regulating the use of the Internet in the country. The government of Australia actually has four different types of gambling (Internet gambling, online casinos, poker games, and sports betting). The types of gambling are completely separated from one another. This is because the government has set different rules for each type of gambling.
#3 – Boosted Gambling Opportunities
A good chunk of people has always had a need for gambling. The Internet itself is a way for people to socialize and play games together or to meet new people and explore new ideas. The biggest advantage of online gambling is that there are no boundaries. You can gamble online from wherever you are, whenever you want. You don’t have to wake up early in the morning in order to play online. The fact that you can access any type of online gambling site you want without traveling anywhere is a wonderful thing. Most people find this to be a great advantage, and they love the idea of being able to play whenever they want.
The online gambling industry is regulated in Australia, and this means that online casinos are safe and secure. And you have nothing to worry about. What is more, there are different bonuses at online casinos, which makes your online gambling experience even more fun. You can get bonus money from a casino and play online pokies as much as you wish. Thus, you can keep your personal belongings safe.
What Are the Possibilities for Online Gambling in Australia in the Future?
Source: demonstratingcatchmentmanagement.net
For the near future, AIGIA is focused on ensuring that the online gambling industry in Australia is regulated by the government and continues to grow. It’s been suggested that the Australian government may introduce an online gambling code of conduct similar to that already in place for the Australian land-based casino and poker industry. This would give all Australian online gambling companies a common set of guidelines they could follow in an effort to ensure the safety and security of their customers.
AIGIA is also looking at ways it can promote and maintain a competitive landscape for the Australian online gambling industry and is considering a range of measures, including the introduction of legislation in the same vein as Interactive Gambling (AAP and Gaming, etc.) Amendment Bill 2017. This bill was tabled in the Australian House of Representatives on 23 November 2017. It includes various changes to gambling laws relating to the implementation of interactive gambling technologies and requires that:
- Gaming licenses must be registered on the new National Online Games Database (NOGD);
- Gaming licenses must be registered on the National Interactive Gambling Register (NIGR);
- The government has 60 days to develop a national code of practice governing the use of online gambling technologies in the delivery of interactive gambling services.
While it’s early days, and while it may well take some time to see these new measures come into play, they are good examples of how AIGIA is looking to continue to grow and promote the online gambling industry and how it will work to keep online gambling secure and offer gamblers the best possible experience. The regulatory body is now working hard to create an online gambling setting that is of benefit to both parties.
However, while AIGIA is making efforts to promote the online gambling industry, it also remains the biggest player in the Australian online gambling market. AIGIA’s market share is large, with a reported 80% of all online gambling revenues. To put this in perspective, Australia’s land-based casino and poker industry only makes up about 25% of the total gambling market. With so many players relying on AIGIA to protect and promote them, it’s worth remembering that if it becomes a true monopoly, it can have a major effect on the industry. Obviously, the online gambling industry will grow and develop in the coming years since there are all the necessary conditions for that.
Final Say!
Possibly due to its compatibility with Australia’s love of sport and pub culture, gambling has long been a popular pastime among adults in Australia. In 2018, Australians spent over 20 billion Australian dollars on online pokies, lotto, and other gaming alone. Online gambling is a multi-billion dollar industry in Australia, and in some cases, the revenue of gambling sites is more profitable than a number of the major banks in Australia. In other words, it’s a lot of money! With all the money coming in, there are also a lot of people out there making a good living from online gambling.
The number of people who gamble in Australia is increasing, especially in states like New South Wales. It has been shown that these gambling markets are being taken over by other states. So, for example, a casino in Melbourne will be sending patrons and money to the NSW online casinos, as opposed to NSW sites sending revenue to Melbourne casinos. We have also seen more and more Australians using their credit cards to play on gambling sites, meaning that these sites have become more and more reliant on their players. All these provide a lot of opportunities to local gamblers who decide to play pokies online. With this in mind, it is no wonder that more and more gamblers give preference to online gambling and online casino games.
