Gambling in Australia!
Gambling has been the most loved pastime for the Australian public, dating back more than one hundred years. Today, the gambling industry of the country stands at an estimated amount of nearly 18 billion Australian dollars – and this not where the journey ends. According to statistics, the gambling industry of Australia is growing at a fast pace of 9 percent every year which proves that the industry is here to stay!
Perhaps the phenomenon that has sparked increased interest is that of online betting. Whether you are in the comfort of your own home or busy at the office, it is easy to place those winning wagers online.
Some more statistics believe that the average adult Australian roughly spends one thousand Australian dollars every year in the gambling and betting industry. The slot machines have made the biggest impact on the Australian audiences with a total usage of some 60 percent of the gambling audiences. Then is the turn of horse racing which is the next best gambling sport in Australia sitting nicely at a steady 14 percent. 12 percent of Australians prefer to go to the casinos while the rest of the public are into the business of lotteries and other areas of gambling.
Then there is the state by state break up of stats which is going to amaze you even more – the amount of money which is spent by adults in various states in Australia are as follows: the state of New South Wales leads the procession of gamblers in the country where the adults spend some 1200 Australian dollars a year on the business. The state of South Australia comes in second with a total adult expenditure for the entire region sitting comfortably at 800 Australian dollars.
Money in the business!
About 1100 Australian dollars are spent by the adults in Victoria, 400 Australian dollars spent by the adults of Western Australia – which reflects that the online gambling business which including most industries relating to gambling have accepted the pass time to be a national sport of sorts. The corporate bookmakers on the other hand who have taken the pass time to such a highly skilled and professional level have jumped from a turn over of a 193 million Australian dollars in the year 2001 to a astounding 2.7 billion Australian dollars in the year 2006. The latest figures are not yet in but the way the industry has grown over the years can send the alarm bells ringing for the year 2009.
The history of Australia’s gambling passion came into existence due to the horse racing industry. It is safe to mention here that the bookmakers in Australia form part of the rich cultural heritage of the country which dates back to the times of the British colonisation. The Melbourne Cup dates back to the year 1861 when the first known betting and bookmaking business came into being. Even in those times, there were traditional bookmakers and facilities to promote it on the course – which speaks about the history of gambling in the entire country.
In the days which have formed part of Australia’s chequered history, the bookmakers were the ones who brought money into the game and the horse racers used to earn their living by gaining a share from the winners spoil.
History and future
Those were the times when gambling had been banned in Australia but the sheer involvement of the entire country forged a change in the constitution of Australia – this also remains on the brightest days for gambling in the entire country. The 1920′s and the 1930′s were the years when Australia’s gambling industry rose to phenomenal levels due to the intense rivalries of the horse owners and the punters.
In those times, Australia’s favourite pass time was only legally allowed to be conducted at the race courses – thus until the year 1931, these race courses tried to give the on-course bookmakers a life which they successfully did. They not only helped the gambling business to survive but which lead to the development of so many sports in the entire country. Till the year 1954, the gambling industry rose to greater heights and the total number of bookmakers that were legally working in the country sky rocketed to 1500.
Bookmakers on the other hand had a very sneaky and un-impressive image among the minds of the customers. The Bookmaker was believed to be this man wearing an expensive suit with a bag full of money heading towards a horse racing circuit and who would return to his home with two bags full of money. Today, the impression has slightly diminished as bookmakers form the legal part of Australia’s community.
The numbers have grown too many that the share of online betting business has been equally distributed amongst all the bookmakers – thus not all bookmakers in Australia today have the same amount of money that they once had. The market share has diversified and each particular bookmaker has his own niche market. In the world of today, the bookmakers in Australia have also taken part in the community activities and charity events for the unprivileged class.
Australia’s horse racing of today is the most important clash between the punter and the bookmaker where both decided to out think the other in every game – making the entire events highly competitive and lively. The atmosphere has brought so many into the world of online bookmaking and it has had a positive affect on the tourism of the country. More and more international visitors have been thronging the cities of Australia to have a greater impact on the local gambling industry.
Another important factor is that all bookmaking is registered by the government and one can take their winnings after a month or even a year. Such is the confidence of the people of Australia on the bookmakers in the country.
Legislation has brought a lot of revenue to the government as well and this is why the industry has grown to astronomical levels – competing with the international gambling industries. More and more punters are being attracted due to the fair practices of the Australian bookmakers and within a span of a few years; the industry is likely to win the hearts and minds of those from all around the world. So, forget having to travel to sporting events, horse races or even casinos, just place all your bets and gamble online. It doesn’t matter if you are at home or stuck at the office, it has never been easier to bet online.