The issue of gambling regulation in Australia is acute. Local lawmakers come up with new initiatives all the time, but there is no common solution. However, this does not prevent the emergence of new online casinos and betting clubs.
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Is it legal to open a virtual casino in Australia?
The first online casino in the Australian Internet appeared in the late 1990s. It was then that Microgaming presented the concept of the debut virtual gambling hall with slot machines and roulette. Australian real money casinos operate on a similar principle to this day.
A few years later, a regulatory document was adopted. According to the new law, the organizers could open online gambling halls, but the activity of these sites should not be aimed at Australians. Simply put, anyone could open their own small site with slots, but for users from Australia it was necessary to put up a strict blocking.
The state of affairs did not change until 2017. Dozens of platforms worked on the virtual territory of the country. Of course, only a few complied with the main condition. Anyone could register and make a quick online bet. In 2017, lawmakers obliged operators to draw up licenses, and Internet providers were ordered to block illegals.
However, the nuance is that the supervision of licenses and violations is conducted exclusively at the local level. That is, each region is obliged to conduct such monitoring itself. Moreover, the reason for blocking can only be a request from citizens. The controlling authorities themselves can not just take and restrict access to the site of any virtual casino. That is why nothing has changed in the work of gambling halls, which are registered not in Australia, but with international regulators.
If we summarize for the current year, we can distinguish three types of bans:
- Operators can open new online gambling clubs, but the law prohibits them from operating without a license and targeting their services at Australian gamblers. Only players from other countries can be customers of the platforms.
- Operators are authorized to open betting clubs. If there is a license, the law allows it to provide services for users from Australia. Otherwise, the activity of the project is considered illegal.
- Operators can not advertise gambling. Any type of marketing promotion of gambling services leads to the revocation of the license and blocking of the site.
At the same time, the issue of regulation does not lie with one common government body. Each jurisdiction has its own commission, which monitors compliance with the rules.
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Is it legal to gamble for money at Australian casinos?
Although Australian lawmakers impose restrictions on the organizers of virtual casinos, these rules do not affect ordinary users in any way. If a player from Australia has gained access to one of the local online gambling halls, he is free to make a deposit and play slots or bet on sports in his preferred currency.
It is also important to clarify that the state also does not control jackpots and any other financial transactions that are conducted within the gambling site. The operator himself must track payments and submit reports to the local regulator.
The only exceptions are licensed bookmakers. These companies can cooperate with Australian visitors on an official basis. Therefore, the organizers introduce limits on maximum bets, withdrawal of funds. They can also charge commissions.
A beginning gambler needs to remember that not every virtual casino working for Australia is based on this continent. Most online clubs provide their services based on certificates from international regulators today. This means that the operator is not subject to any local laws, as it complies with the requirements of the foreign jurisdiction. Playing for money on the site of such a company for a gambler also has no risks.
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