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All About Gambling and Casinos in Australia

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If you go to Australia, then, of course, you do that for a visit to Sydney. Sure, you also do your best to spot a kangaroo or koala during your stay down under, but just about all trips in Australia start or end in Sydney. And if you are already in the Australian capital, then as a casino lover, you can perfectly combine that with a visit to the casino. After all, you are in the largest gambling country in the world, and then you immediately understand why Australia has so much to offer as a casino destination. We tell you more about the Australian gambling culture, the popularity of the so-called ‘pokies’ and the casinos that you really should not miss.

History

Australia is one of those countries where you can’t beat gambling. Just about every cafe has space where you can gamble, and the money is mainly spent on slot machines, betting on horses, lotteries and of course, the casinos themselves. The reason why Australia is so crazy about gambling, according to the gambling experts, is due to history: the first settlers who settled there had very little to do. There were fewer and fewer massacres, and so all the time was spent on other sins such as sex, alcohol and therefore gambling. In addition, these settlers were also people who were used to taking great risks. Not only were many early settlers unwilling jailers exiled from Britain, but there were also those who made the free-will crossing to Australia. And that’s quite a gamble if you ask us. According to the local experts, gambling is, therefore, in the blood of just about every Australian.

Gambling Law in Australia

However, that does not mean that it is a completely free game for Australians. There are indeed government agencies that try to keep things in line. Gambling regulation in Australia happens on two levels. The national government plays an active role in both the supervision of gambling activities and the addition or amendment of relevant gambling laws. However, the regulation also takes place at the level of the respective state and territory, with different regional authorities performing these tasks. Also noteworthy is that Australia has very favourable tax laws on a national level when it comes to gambling. Gambling is considered a recreational activity. What does that mean? That the winnings from gambling are not taxed. In that respect, it is made very easy for the gambler.

Gaming Culture

Gambling is extremely popular in many Anglo-Saxon countries. In that regard, it will therefore not come as a surprise that the Australians, just like the British, do like to gamble. That’s putting it mildly because the 23 million Australians are considered the biggest gamblers in the world. They gamble more than 60 billion euros per year, of which 11 billion euros are losses. That is more than 900 euros per Australian per year, an amount equal to the expenditure on other addictions such as smoking and alcohol. Why do Australians like to gamble so much? We already mentioned the fact that Australia is a land of settlers, so people took a huge gamble by moving to an unknown country on the other side of the world. Then there is also the volatile nature of the climate, which has always caused a lot of uncertainty throughout history. People have always had to live with uncertainty. Especially in earlier times, survival was a big gamble. And that has remained in Australia.

The Infamous Pokies

We recently reported how hugely popular the so-called FOBTs are in the United Kingdom casino destination. For those who missed it, we are talking about the so-called Fixed Odds Betting Terminals, slot machines on which you can play all kinds of games. Something similar exists in Australia, but there they call it the “pokies.” These vending machines are mainly found in the state of New South Wales, but there are a total of 197,000 of these across the country. That equates to one machine per 114 inhabitants. These poker machines together account for half of all gambling expenditure, and while that is attractive to the providers, it cannot be denied that it causes a lot of problems. Therefore, there has been talked about for a long time to use a maximum bet on the machines, with the UK measures regarding FOBTs bets being followed. For the time being, this has not yet led to actual reductions in the betting limits.

Physical Casinos

Therefore, there have you can gamble at 32 places in Australia, so there is plenty of choice for the enthusiast. There are over 20 full-fledged casinos in Australia spread across all eight states and territories. There are also hundreds of small locations that offer pokie machines. We, of course, recommend to the real enthusiast to go to Sydney and Melbourne.

Online Games of Chance

While there are a ton of benefits for offline gambling enthusiasts, the same cannot be said for online gambling. Online games of chance are illegal there, and in 2016 the government went a step further by tightening up its approach to illegal providers. As a result, huge fines are now being handed out to online operators who break the law. The extension of the law in 2016 has been titled “The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill of 2016” and can be invoked to fine illegal providers. In the worst cases, this can lead to fines of 1.35 million Australian dollars (currently around 847,000 euros) per day if an online operator specifically targets the Australian player. Those are deterrent fines. As a result, just about all the big names have now closed their doors to players from this country.

The Main Casinos

It will come as no surprise that most casinos are located in Sydney. You can find more than 2000 different gambling games in the Australian capital, such as blackjack, roulette and slot machines. We will take you through a number of casinos:

-Crown Casino Melbourne: not only is the city of Melbourne beautiful, but this is also the place where one of the largest casinos on earth is located. The Crown Casino has an area of ​​no less than 510,000 square meters. The casino opened its doors in 1994 and now offers 2500 slots, 440 gaming tables and 100 poker tables. And do you want to spend the night there? Then that is also possible. You will find 1992 rooms spread over four hotels.

-Star Casino: In terms of grandeur, few can beat this New South Wales casino. Not only does the hotel sparkle, the 1500 pokies, 200 gaming tables and 30 poker tables will keep even the most experienced gambler happy. And in case you get hungry or thirsty, there are 13 restaurants and eight bars where you can have a snack and a drink.

-Crown Perth: The Crown Casino also has an equally extensive branch in Perth. What does that mean? Two thousand pokies, nearly 220 gaming tables and four electronic tables. In addition, there is also a lot of luxury. For example, there are two hotels, 15 restaurants and 16 bars located in the hotel-casino complex.

-Jupiters Hotel And Casino: experienced gamblers can check in first in one of the 594 rooms in the hotel for a complete stay. And after you’re done eating and drinking, try your luck at the 1,400 pokies and 70 gaming tables. However, for your visit to the Jupiters Hotel And Casino, you have to move to Queensland. But once you’re there, it’s all about enjoying yourself.

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Best Poker Sites for Australian Players

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Many online poker sites are accessible to anyone who lives in Australia, in fact, playing online poker in Australia has become very popular, and because of this, if you live there, you may have to be interested in playing poker online.

These sites are capable of servicing a variety of different playing styles for the Aussies. Many of the online poker sites that are available in Australia are operated by experienced and knowledgeable gamblers. They understand the risks and rewards involved in online poker gambling and cater to people who are well equipped to handle the risk factor associated with poker gaming.

However, there are so many poker rooms in Australia, and some of them can be rather hard to choose from. If you want to find the best poker rooms in Australia to play at, then take a look at our list of the best online poker rooms in Australia for both experienced players and beginners alike. We also take a look at some of the best tournament poker rooms in Australia as well.

List of the Best Online Poker Rooms in Australia

Ignition Poker

One of the top poker rooms in Australia is Ignition Poker. It was formed just last year when the poker room acquired Bovada Poker. In its first few months, the site already had a huge player base of more than 2500 real-life players, and over 1500 players on a daily basis, making it one of the biggest fishes in the river. It also hosted several high-profile tournaments such as the Poker Super Tournament 4 and the Aussie Millions 5-card draw, among others.

PokerStars 

The PokerStars Bonus Poker is another one of the best poker sites for both beginners and experienced players. This site features a big bonus section that pays out every time a new player registers. This means that new players will be able to register and receive their bonuses right away, helping them get started in this great game without having to spend too much of their money right away. The site also offers several high-quality tournaments each month and has been awarded the Best Online Casino status by ACB.

BitPoker

Also in this list of Australian poker sites is BitPoker. It is best known for its live tournaments, and one of its most popular features is the ability to use bitcoin for its deposit bonuses. With the use of bitcoin, bonuses can be converted into actual deposits, allowing players to enjoy even greater rewards while playing virtual poker. The live tournaments offered are the Bestival Australia, the Big Bank Classic, the Cash Cup, and the King’s Cup.

Party Gaming

Finally, there is Party Gaming for those people who prefer playing casinos online without having to leave the comfort of their homes. It has been running for more than three years now, but it is still one of the best Australian poker sites. Some of its features include an integrated casino, a chat room, and free games. There are still many improvements that it offers, such as a tutorial for beginners and a comprehensive collection of tips and strategies. It doesn’t offer the best bonuses, but it is still one of the best gambling sites for players to choose from.

There are still other poker rooms in Australia that allow players with all different kinds of devices the chance to win big. The bonuses may change depending on the different types of gaming systems being used, but players will have many options to choose from. These sites include Ultimate Bet, iTune Poker, Full Tilt, Betfair Poker, VC Poker, Unlucky for Money, and iPoker. Each of these sites has different types of gaming systems available, so players can choose which ones they prefer.

With all the options available online, it’s no wonder that players from Australia are getting attracted to the site’s offerings. It is very important to remember that all bonuses that a player can earn are dependent on their deposit amount. If you want to earn bigger bonuses, it is important to increase your deposits. This is one of the reasons why Australian poker rooms have such tight competition; they know that players will make their deposit when they play their favourite hands.

Conclusion

Online poker sites in Australia provide the same high-quality service as those found in the US. In fact, many of the online casino sites offer the same kind of bonuses and promotions as those found in live dealer poker games. This includes attractive bonus offers, free sign-up and special prizes. If you are new to online poker games, then taking part in online casino promotions and specials may be the easiest way to learn the game.

With so many poker sites in Australia, it is easy for players to play any time of the day or night. There are even poker apps for smartphones available, allowing you to play from anywhere. If you are an Aussie, there is no time to miss out. You can play any time that you want, whenever you want.

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Poker Machine – Interesting Facts About Video Poker

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Video poker is a game of chance that will also require a bit of thought and decision-making.  The game’s objective is very simple, you will have five cards and must achieve the best poker combination with them. The higher the combination, the more credits you will earn. During the first draw, you will have to choose which cards you want to keep. Then it is in the second draw, after selecting those you keep and those you exchange, that you will receive your winnings according to the combination made.

There are, however, a few bonus options and other specific rules that will spice up the game a bit, as is the case in Deuces Wild which features two as the Joker. In addition, you can play the very famous free jacks or better video poker, more classic and timeless. Discover all the free video poker games here without downloading without registration.

The Rules of the Video Poker Machine

After spending a few minutes on a video poker machine, you will understand how simple and fun this game is! It is certainly a game of chance, but also an excellent puzzle game on which it is possible to refine your strategy to win or at least improve your chances of winning; this aspect is what differentiates it from slot machines in which the player will be able to rely only on luck. Unlike online poker, it is a solitary game; the good thing about it is that you won’t risk losing everything in a snap as you do in online poker after rolling a bad stack. But it is essential to look at the rules at least once so as not to go wrong.

You need to get the best hand with five cards; the comparison to online poker ends there. The higher your hand, the more you will be rewarded, there is often a minimum hand: some times like in Jacks or Better, you will need at least a pair of jacks; in Deuces Wild, a set will be required to collect any winnings because you have another advantage which is two like Joker. Each combination will pay out differently; however, a set of kings will be worth the same as a set of 4; there is no distinction in the value level of each card.

Here are the valid combinations ranked from best to lowest:

  • Royal Flush
  • Straight Flush
  • Square
  • Full
  • Color
  • Fifth
  • Three of a kind
  • Double Pair
  • Pair of Jacks or better

The Progress of a Game of Video Poker

After placing your bet, you will click on the button to start the game and receive five cards. It’s up to you which ones you want to keep and which ones you want to exchange for new cards to improve your hand. Once you have made your choice, click the launch button again to see the new cards received. From now on, two events are to be expected: either you have no combination, and therefore you lose the game, or you receive a combination, and you multiply your bet according to what you have received. Subsequently, in case of victory, you can try a double or quits in a mini-game of chance.

Wildcards and other rules can be added to form interesting variations. For each video poker game, you will need to adopt a different strategy. Sometimes you will have to try to give up potentially good cards to try and build a better combination with other cards in your deck. The strategy you will have to adopt will also depend a lot on your playing style, and if you are a gambler, you may prefer to keep three cards of the same suit to try to win big, except if you want to play it safe, you may prefer to make smaller combinations.

What are the Differences Between One Video Poker to Another?

You may wonder why there are so many different video poker machines out there because even though they look a lot alike at first glance, they all have their own unique characteristics.

First, from developer to developer, the visual and sound game environment will not be the same, and some will be more likely to appeal to the player than others. There is traditional video poker like Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better, then much more modern ones like luxury video poker.

In addition, the paytable may vary from one game to another, there are some additional rules such as the joker or the two which replaces each card in the game, multi-hand video poker to play up to 100 hands in one game, the gamble mode or the progressive jackpot which can also convince each player to play on a particular version.

The stakes are also different from one game to another, in the free version, the question does not arise, but those who wish to switch to real mode will have to pay attention to this parameter.

Finally, the payout rate will not be the same all the time. So as with slot machines, we recommend that you play video poker with a high payout rate.

Kinds of Poker Machine 

A slot machine, also called the fruit machines, pug, wooden slabs, is an electronic gambling machine that generates a game of luck for its users. A popular casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, offers three kinds of machines: the progressive, the claw and the barrel machines. 

– The Progressive Machine – One of the most common types of machines in any casino, the progressive machine gives the player the option to win the jackpot. Jackpots increase in amount overtime as the player deposits more money. When the jackpot prize is won, then that amount multiplied by the number of hands played will give the player the jackpot. This type of machine accepts different denominations of currency. Some machines have a maximum of one thousand dollars jackpot. Like in most casino games, winning requires careful consideration of all the odds.

– The Claw Machine – This machine is interesting because it lets you re-roll the reels. However, you must keep in mind that the odds are considerably less compared to the other types of machines. This machine is similar to the spinning wheel machine, where the spin outcome is pre-determined. In casino games, you can only change the number of spinners on a claw machine. If you wish to change the reels, you need to purchase additional chips.

– The Barrel Machine – It is famous for its noise. The loud sound from the barrel machine is annoying and disturbing. You should be aware that once you leave the machine for few minutes, the game would end, and you will receive no money. Some casino owners do not allow players to leave the playing area whenever they wish. So, if you wish to play this machine, you better be alert and follow the rules.

– The Ladder Machine – It is also known as the heavy poker. You should know that this machine has an amazing capacity to hold large stacks of money. Most of these machines can hold 400 hands of poker. It is advisable to bet big when you are playing this machine.

– The Winding Jacks – This machine is very popular among young gamblers. It is similar to the spinning wheel, where the outcome of the spin is predetermined. The windings on this poker machine are often adjusted so that the players can increase the amount they bet. This machine is operated with the help of a lever, and thus you need to know how to operate the lever correctly when playing.