Online Gambling Issues In Australia

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  1. Unfortunately for the Aussies, online gambling faced some troubles in the past and caused confusion regarding whether or not it is legal to gamble online in Australia. Again, we will emphasize that the authorities don’t pay attention to players as much as they do to gambling operators.
  2. Gambling is strictly regulated by age in all Australasian jurisdictions. A person must be 18 years of age to gamble in hotel/club venues, casinos, TABs, to buy lottery products or to access legally available online gambling services. Research shows however that young people may become aware of gambling at an early age - and that those who gamble while underage are more likely to experience problems, both in youth and in later life.

There has been a recent increase in online gambling. The data, collated by analytics consultancy AlphaBeta and credit firm Illion, has sparked concerns that the economic and social climate many Australians have been thrust into by restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has created a perform storm for harmful and addictive behaviours. The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016 was passed. This prohibited online casino gaming, even if the casino is Australian. Players won’t receive penalties when gambling at unlicensed casino sites. One of the first questions asked by punters is: Is online poker legal in Australia? For now, poker was also recently deemed illegal in Australia.

The government of Australia recognizes the need to regulate and pay attention to gambling as it is becoming a menace, especially among the young, which is partly why the amendment to the 2001 IGA was passed

Online gambling issues in australia compared

In the IGA, authorities are clear that some gambling activities are forbidden, but there is enough leeway to make it legal for players to access online gambling activities. There are two authorities that oversee the industry — the Federal Government that is in charge of the entire industry, and the states and territory authorities. They both collect tax from these activities while regulating participants to ensure adherence with the IGA.

Online Gambling Issues In Australia Fires

Australian online casinos are allowed to offer gambling activities to players outside the country as long as they are not ‘designated countries.’ While it is illegal to operate an interactive poker website or to advertise interactive gambling for real money in the country, players do enjoy playing online slots, bingo, and poker because this law is enforced on providers of the service, not players. A 2016 amendment to the IGA that declared online poker illegal was passed, and it applies even if the game is played from licensed casinos. Accessing this game from an unlicensed casino is not prohibited.

Taxation Laws on Gambling in Australia

Online Gambling Problems In Australia

Tax rates charged on respective states is based on negotiations with the State or Territory government. The Northern Territory pays up to 10% of its gross profits per month with a $250,000 cap per year. In Queensland, 20% of gambling net profits are paid out as taxes, with 8.5% going into a Community Investment Fund. In Victoria, 19.11% of total revenue from sports betting is paid as taxes.

The government does not recognize money from gambling as an income because it is dependent on luck more than skills, and so individual punters are not taxed on their winnings. Instead, the burden is laid on casino operators. If an individual gambles professionally, then they pay up to 30% of that income as taxes.

Online Gambling Issues In Australia Compared

Conclusion

The government of Australia recognizes the need to regulate and pay attention to gambling as it is becoming a menace, especially among the young, which is partly why the amendment to the 2001 IGA was passed. Those efforts have seen the amounts spent per individual drop, albeit not so significantly, from $1,277.83 to $1,251.39.