Best Online Casinos for Australians
For the past few years, online gambling has been snowballing because many people are getting hooked to the explosive entertainment from the word go. The moment Aussie players realise how fun it is to play online casino games, they never look back. Due to the vastness of the internet, everyone has been able to stay connected and play in the comfort of their phones or computers, from any location. In fact, this whole connectivity is what has catalysed the growth and popularity of playing online casino games in Australia and on a global scale.
A Brief History of Online Gambling in Australia
Before online casinos were established, Australians were actively involved in gambling already where most of them enjoyed playing the pokies in land-based casinos. In 1994 Microgaming introduced the first online casino game, and by then, remote gambling was still illegal in Australia. By 2001, Australian government passed Interactive Gaming Moratorium Act to legalise online casinos that are licensed to start operating except for the offshore casino operators. From there, other software providers like Rival, RTG and IGT came to life, in full support of the Australian market. Until today, the online gambling market keeps expanding as many Aussies keep getting joining in on the action.
Top Casinos for Australians
Legislation of Online Gambling in Australia
Aussies love to gamble so much, and the laws of gambling have been implemented to control the whole situation, and prevent gaming in Australia from getting out of hand. Here’s is a quick look at the most recent legislative development of online gambling in Australia.
✔ Interactive Gambling Act of 2001
The Australian Commonwealth parliament passed this law in the year 2001. According to the law,
It is illegal for the offshore online casino operators to offer real money online games to Australian players.
It is also illegal to sponsor real money gambling advertisement to Australian players.
This gambling law targets the offshore online casino operators explicitly but not necessarily the Australian players. And if any offshore online casino violates this law, the operator will face a hefty fine of $1.1 million per day of running the advertisement.
Furthermore, this law doesn’t apply to sports betting sites or lotteries. This is because the betting before an event occurs is not considered as interactive gambling therefore not illegal. However, live betting is deemed to be an interactive form of betting hence unlawful in Australia. It also adds up that an average Australian player cannot be convicted by creating an account to any real money online casinos.
✔ Interactive Gambling Bill of 2016
The IGA 2001 was in full operation for some time but got reviewed because it was pretty unclear. It somehow masked some offshore online casinos operating in the ‘grey’ area in Australia. When this issue was brought forward, the government updated it with IGA 2016 which was more robust than IGA 2001. It entirely banned offshore casino providers from offering online gambling services to players in Australian soil.
By 2017, it was thoroughly reviewed and was passed. So, offshore online casinos cannot accept Australian players on their platforms or else; they will face charges. After the passing of this law, many offshore online casino operators pulled out of the country but then again, there are others who still risk hefty fines from the Australian Government by staying put.
How do you Know that an Online Casino is Good for You?
The internet is exceptionally massive, and many online casinos keep popping up every other day. So, with each dawning day, it gets even harder to figure out which online casinos are the best for you to play in, or the ones that you should stay away from. Since we would like all Aussie gamers to play in safe and secure sites, we’re going to share our trade secrets that will help you make better choices of casino sites. So, some of the crucial considerations you should take to make more rational decisions about which casino will offer you the most exceptional gaming experience include;
· Check if the casino is licensed
Always perform a background check to see whether the casino you want to play in is registered and licensed under a known jurisdiction. Licenses are important because as long as any casino is licensed, that casino is subjected to regular inspections to check if the casino is providing fair games.
· Check the Reputation of that particular casino
Secondly, you should check the reputation of the casino before embarking on whatever is on offer. Usually, the best online casinos have a lot of information about its operations. In good casinos you should be able to find legitimate information about when it was established, how long have they been in operation. You should also be able to see more info about who are the owners running daily casino operations. Moreover, take a look at the individual ongoing player reviews so that you can figure out whether the house is treating them well enough.
· Check how many payment options they are offering
The number of payment options an online casino provides is quite essential to consider as well as their speeds, security and convenience. If you play in an Aussie online casino with all these factors in check, you have nothing to worry about. Furthermore, having many payment options at your disposal will give you an impression that you have a plan B in case your major plan doesn’t go well.
· Find out more about their customer care
Another thing you should really be on the lookout for is the means available for contacting customer care. The contact information is critical because it usually comes in handy whenever you can’t figure something out, and you need help from the support agents.
It is also essential to find out the response time and availability. For instance, which contact channels are the fastest? Are they available 24/7? And still, on the support options, the gaming site must have a comprehensive FAQs section for quick answers to common queries relayed by current members.
· Check the bonuses on offer
The majority of casinos in Australia offer bonus prizes for new players joining in for the first time. Additionally, once they join the house, there are even more bonuses that players will be getting continuously for instance in a monthly, weekly or even daily basis. While these bonuses will motivate you to join the house or keep playing, you must check and confirm whether the terms are favourable and easy to fulfill.
Benefits of Playing at Online Casinos in Australia
If you haven’t played in any online casinos in Australia yet, then you are missing out on a lot of goodies. Ever since online gambling evolved from a small niche to whole new gaming revolution that offers cutting-edge entertainment in a plethora of choices, players have been having loads of fun. Some of the coolest benefits of gaming online are as follows;
✔ It is superbly convenient
Thanks to the internet accessibility on almost all parts of Australia and the massive use of mobile devices, you can catch up on your favourite hits even if you are away from your computer. So, players can now play their games irrespective of the time or location.
✔ Players have access to multiple bonuses
As of now, almost every online casino offers different bonus packages to their players, mostly as a way of gratifying them. These bonuses are usually advantageous to players since you will receive free gaming money prizes to bet on your favourite games.
✔ A wide variety of games
The best online casinos have a wide range of games to offer players as many options as possible while they are in the lobby. With hundreds of options available for the taking, you can quickly try those that you think are great for you. If they turn out not to be what you expected, you always have the chance to shift to another title or category in a matter of seconds.
✔ Free gaming
In most online casinos found in Australia, players are typically given a chance to play their favourite hits for free without the need to spend some real money on them. In this way, you can try on any of the online games first before playing any of them. So, if you are on the lookout for a place to practice playing any particular game, you can always do it in free mode. Once you are confident enough that you have a grasp of the title, try and earn some money by boarding on real money play. Such an option is never available at land-based casino sites.
✔ Highly flexible betting ranges
Virtually all Australian gaming sites have customizable bets where players have the allowance to change the stakes to fit their needs. For instance, when you are playing pokies online, you can always choose the value of the credits that match the size of your pocket. Most online pokies will allow you to start spinning the reels with anything from a couple of cents to several hundred Australian dollars at a go. Brick and mortar facilities on the other hand usually have much rigid betting ranges which tend to be on the higher side.
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FAQ section
Do you have any questions about how things run in Australia’s online gaming expanse? Here are the most common questions asked by potential players about the online casinos in Australia.
1 . Are online casinos safe?
Yes, but not all of them are safe. To find a reliable online casino, make sure that the one you are thinking of playing in, is licensed under a registered jurisdiction and are running on impartial gaming software from reputable providers. Pick any from our top rated casino shortlist for a guarantee of safety.
2 . Do I have to install any software to start playing online casino games?
It depends on the one you are registered in. Some are stacked with only instant play games while others will require you to download the gaming software to start playing. If there’s a software to be downloaded, you will be prompted to install it during the sign-up process.
3 . How do I contact the Customer service?
Most of the Australian online casino customer service agents are reachable via a phone number, email, and live chat as well as through their various social media handles like Facebook and Twitter.
4 . How do is start playing real money games?
Before you start playing in any online casino, you will have to register first by filling in your details, make your first deposit from the accepted payment options and you can then start playing. Make a point of checking whether a welcome bonus is available so that you can start playing with an advantage.
5 . Which banking options can I use?
Some of the popular banking options in Australian casinos are credit/debit cards, prepaid cards like Neosurf, direct bank transfer options like Bpay and even cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
6 . Which currencies are supported in these online casinos?
The primary currency for Australian gaming sites is the Australian dollar. However, many of these online casinos support various international currencies such as the Euro, US Dollar, and Sterling Pound.
7 . Will I get other promotions apart from the welcome offer?
Yes, there are other many other promotions you will be offered as you continue playing in an Australian online casino. For the juiciest offers, pick your favourite from our highest rated Aussie casinos shortlist.
8 . How long should I wait for withdrawals to be processed?
Depending on the casino and they payment option, withdrawals take anywhere between a few seconds for Bitcoin transactions to 3 business days for credit/debit cards or 5-7 days for wire transfers.
9 . Can I play casino games via my mobile phone?
Yes, you can access all your favourite games on your mobile phone provided you are connected to the internet. Depending on the casino, you can play the game via your mobile browser or download a native app.
10 . How do I deposit these casinos?
To make a deposit, just head over to the cashier section of the house under ‘My Account’ then select the payment method you find most convenient. Enter the amount you wish to deposit and confirm the transaction and your account will be loaded instantly. That’s it!