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Everything you need to know about betting in Australia

Betting providers are also regulated and have to operate within specified standards, ensuring the punters will get a good and reliable betting experience.

Another consideration Australian punters must make is the range of sporting events covered. That is especially the case when looking to bet on sports that are not considered mainstream, as most betting sites typically focus on mainstream sports such as soccer, basketball, and rugby. Punters should also pay attention to the range of betting markets offered by a given bookmaker.

Other considerations should include customer service, odds, website design, security, and bonus features, among many others.

Australian players' favorite games

Thanks to legal access to many international betting sites, Australian punters can bet on nearly any sport. However, some games tend to be more popular than others among bettors, a few of which are highlighted below.

Aussie Football/ Aussie Rules

Aussie or Australian football or in another name, Aussie Rules is the most popular game among sports bettors. That is mainly because the game has captured the hearts of many in Australia and generally the entire world, ranking as the most popular sport globally.

Punters are familiar with most teams and players, allowing them to do better analysis for making informed betting decisions that maximize their winning chances. The high number of competing operators also results in consistently competitive odds, which favor punters.

Horse Racing

Horseracing was the first sport on which Australian punters placed bets. It became popular almost immediately and remains very popular despite the introduction of numerous other sports in the betting world.

Bookmakers also run numerous BOG promotions, which help ensure punters remain interested in horseracing. BOG promotions are unique to horse racing and similar types of racing. They offer punters huge strategic advantages.

Tennis

Tennis is played one-on-one or two-on-two. Most punters consider it the best sport to bet on, as analyzing tennis matches is easier than in many other sports. Tennis offers numerous betting opportunities, allowing punters to bet on every point, set, and game. Most bookies also offer relatively attractive odds for tennis.

Other sports popular in the Australian betting world worth mentioning are cricket, rugby, boxing, basketball, and American football.

Payment methods in Australia

Credit and Debit Cards

More than 60% of Australian punters prefer using credit and debit cards to deposit funds to their betting accounts online. Ideally, card payments are the easiest method for making deposits. Deposits are also processed instantly. However, punters cannot use banking cards for withdrawals.

Digital Wallets

Digital wallets are gradually gaining popularity among Australian punters. That is because they are reliable, easy to use, and secure. E-wallets can also store information from several different cards. That helps punters to avoid dealing with physical cards all the time.

The biggest advantage of e-wallets for punters is that they support withdrawal from most betting sites. Punters can thus rely on a single digital wallet for all betting transactions.

Real-Time Bank Transfers

Real-time bank transfers are also increasingly becoming popular in Australia, despite being relatively new in the betting world. Bank transfers allow punters to make instant deposits from their bank accounts to the betting sites. The payment method is safe and secure, features that punters always desire.

Prepaid Cards

Prepaid cards work almost similarly to debit cards but are not linked to particular bank accounts. Punters can load up their prepaid cards with cash and then use them for making deposits. This payment method is gaining popularity among Australian punters because it eliminates the need to provide their banking information.

History of sports betting in Australia

Sports betting has had a long history in Australia. The first formally organized sports gambling event recorded was held in 1810 at Hyde Park. The event featured horseracing, which was the most popular sporting event.

Gambling had a distinct British influence, as James Cook and the British crew had landed in the country only 40 years before the first formal betting event.

Sports betting grew in popularity quite rapidly, though without proper regulation. By the 1930s, many illegal bookies had flooded the gambling market. The invention of the telephone and the radio played a significant role in enhancing legal and illegal sports betting. By the 1970s, sports betting was Australia's most famous and popular type of gambling.

Betting nowadays in Australia

For a long time, Australian punters faced challenges related to distance and cost. That changed with the introduction of online betting. Nowadays, punters can bet any time from hundreds of gambling sites, right at the comfort of their homes.

Online betting provides punters with opportunities to bet on nearly all sports and events. Betting sites nowadays offer more betting types than ever before, covering the interests of almost all punters.

Bonuses are another common feature of Australian sports betting. Nearly all betting providers offer punters a variety of bonuses, which has played a major role in attracting more Australians into betting. Betting providers usually offer bonuses to attract more punters, retain existing ones, and stay afloat in the competitive betting industry.

Future of betting in Australia

All indications suggest that gambling will continue growing in popularity in Australia. The laws might change to improve the management of the gambling industry, but that will not have a severe impact on the popularity of sports betting. That is especially the case because numerous international betting sites accept Australian punters.

Bookies are also working tirelessly to improve the betting experience for Australian punters. That comes in improved betting odds, increased bet types, enhanced user interface, promotional offers, and extended sports coverage, among others forms.

Currently, betting sites also offer assistance regarding gambling addictions, preventing punters from suffering the negative effects of betting. That results in a more stable industry, of which punters will want to be part.

The Australian government gains significant revenues from the gambling industry through taxation and licensing. The revenue helps boost the country's economy.

The government will thus look for ways to maximize the revenue without interfering with player protection protocols. That gives punters and betting operators hope that gambling will likely continue to receive support from the government.

History of gambling in Australia

Gambling in Australia dates back to the 1700s, when the European settlers arrived in the country. At the time, gambling was generally popular among people in the lower classes of society. The first game played at the time was Two-Up. It involved two coins tossed in the air, and punters would bet on which side the coins would land on.

Other games were gradually introduced as the gambling industry grew rapidly, until the early 1800s when sports betting started. Sports betting became a lot more popular than all the other casino games, but the casino games remained popular to date.

Key historical changes in Australian gambling industry

The legalization of gambling was a critical turning point in Australian history. Gambling was outlawed in Australia for several years. However, in 1980, legislators passed a law that legalized several types of gambling, marking the beginning of the modern gambling era in Australia.

The introduction of online gambling was also a significant change in the gambling industry. It resulted in Australian punters multiplying several times within less than a decade. Currently, more than 80% of Australian punters have tried online gambling.

Are casinos legal in Australia?

The Australian law prohibits all forms of gambling or promotion of gambling activities, with an exception for those done under a license. That applies to online and land-based gambling for all types of gambling. The Interactive Gaming Act of 2001 governs all gambling activities.

Commonwealth has taken a more active role in controlling the Australian gambling industry. That was after concerns related to the impact of gambling on Australians came about and led to Commonwealth instituting inquiries the Productivity Commission.

Regulatory authorities

Different authorities regulate different types of gambling. Below is a breakdown of some of the gambling products and regulatory authorities responsible for them.

Casino gaming

Casino gaming includes games such as slots, blackjack, and roulette, among many others. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) regulates all casinos in the country. It is important to note that the Interactive Gambling Act prohibits online casino gaming.

However, it is still possible to apply for an online gaming license in the Northern Territory then offer the gaming products outside the country. Poker is also regulated under casino games, but it is likely to be legalized soon as it is considered a game of skill, unlike other casino games such as bingo.

Fantasy betting

Fantasy betting is typically offered by corporate bookies licensed in the Northern Territory. The regulating bodies responsible for fantasy betting are Licensing NT and Northern Territory Racing Commission.

Sports betting

Online sports betting has several regulators at the state level. Federally, betting is under the ACT Racing and Gambling Commission.

Australian betting regulators

Below are the state/territory level regulators for each Australian state and territory.

Victoria

Victoria's independent gambling authority is the Victorian Commission for Liquor and Gambling Regulation. It is responsible for licensing and enforcing compliance. Another regulatory body in Victoria is the Office of Liquor, Gaming, and Racing, a Department of Justice and Regulation division. It is responsible for legislation, policy, and major licensing.

New South Wales

Liquor and Gaming New South Wales holds the responsibility of licensing, policy, and compliance in New South Wales. Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority is responsible for various liquor, gaming machines, registered clubs, and casino regulatory functions.

Queensland

The Office of Regulatory Policy is responsible for legislative and policy development for gaming, fair trading, and liquor regulation. The Queensland Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation regulates licensing and enforces compliance.

Australian Capital Territory

The Gambling and Racing Commission is within the Ministry of Regulatory Services and operates as the independent gambling authority in the Australian Capital Territory.

South Australia

The regulatory authority is Consumer and Business Services, responsible for licensing and policy regarding casinos, betting, lotteries, and gaming machines.

Tasmania

The independent gambling regulating authority in Tasmania is the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission, responsible for license provision and enforcing compliance.

Western Australia

The regulating authority in this state is the Western Australian Department of Racing, Liquor, and Gaming. It is responsible for licensing, compliance, and policy matters.

Northern Territory

The NTRC is one of the regulatory bodies in the Northern Territory, primarily responsible for compliance matters. Licensing NT is responsible for all gambling licensing. Licensing NT and NTRC are both within the Attorney General and Justice Department.

Federal Level

According to the Australian constitution, the Federal government can govern and regulate money, trade, and telecommunications, among the territories and states.

The Federal government uses the powers to enact legislation regulating gambling, counter-terrorism, and anti-money laundering financing. The legislation covering such powers includes the Anti-money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006, Interactive Gambling Act 2001, and Financial Transaction Reports Act 1988.

FAQs

Is online betting legal in Australia?

Online sports betting is legal in Australia, provided punters use licensed betting sites. Punters are also allowed to bet in international betting casinos licensed in their countries. Punters must also be above 18 years.

What types of sports bets are available in Australia?

Different sports betting sites offer different varieties of bet types. Different games might also have different bet types. Ideally, no limits exist to the bet types that Australian punters can access. They only need to choose betting sites that offer the bets they prefer.

Are sports bets limited to sports experts?

No. Anyone can bet on sports regardless of their knowledge of sports. For example, punters can use reliable betting tips to make betting decisions. However, understanding the sport can help punters decide the right bets.

Is it possible to use more than one sportsbook in Australia?

There is no limit to the number of betting sites punters can join, provided the betting sites are legal. Joining more than one bookie can help punters enjoy a wider variety of betting markets. Various betting strategies also require punters to multiple sportsbooks. However, experts recommend limiting the number to something manageable.

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