Underage Gambling in Australia
Some recent research found that over $18 billion is wagered by Australians every year, which is around $1500 per capita, while around 70% of Australia’s population is thought to engage in some form of betting activity every year. This rate is much higher than in other developed countries, such as New Zealand, Canada and the US, with pokies being by far the most popular form of gambling in Australia.
Of particular and growing concern is the rate of underage gambling in Australia. The most recent research has shown that there are more problem gamblers in the 15 to 17 age group than amongst adults, with a significant proportion of Australian problem gamblers aged between 18 and 30.
The rise of online gambling is considered to have contributed significantly to these figures; Australians are estimated to wager close to $1 billion online each year, with industry reports suggesting that the market is expanding by as much as 10-20% annually.
Internet gambling sites operated from Australia are prohibited from accepting Australian players, but there is no restriction on Australians accessing international sites. Some observers believe that this has led to an increase in underage gambling, claiming that sites that are unregulated in Australia are not undertaking the necessary age verification checks that prevent underage players from playing at online casinos.
However, the perception that the entire online gaming industry is negligent when it comes to preventing underage gambling is not a wholly accurate one. Despite being operated from outside of Australia, online casinos are nevertheless subject to regulation, both by the gaming authorities of the jurisdictions from which they operate and by independent accreditation agencies, and these certify as to the effectiveness and fairness of their operations, including their responsible gambling policies.
Therefore, it’s possible for Australian players to find online casinos that have responsible gaming policies and practices that are equal to those in place in land-based establishments. Online directory sites such as casinoreef for instance, only list casinos that are accredited by a third-party testing agency and have responsible gambling policies in place that prevent underage players from accessing their sites.
For parents concerned about their children accessing online casino sites, it is also possible to download software that prevents this;
Overall, therefore, while there are rightly concerns about the incidence of underage gambling in Australia, there are wider societal issues that need to be addressed alongside of scrutiny of the online gaming industry. If legislators are serious about tackling this perceived problem, then the prevalence of betting in mainstream Australian culture needs to be examined closely as well.
Attributes of Gambling Addiction
Getting to grips with the Basics of Online Bingo
However, the idea of playing online can be quite off-putting to those without a tech-know-how, and can therefore take the fun out of the game. But if you arm yourself with a few handy tips, you can soon get to grips with the basics and will be playing online bingo like a pro in no time.
We’ve out together a few tips and ideas for doing just that so that you’ll be clicking along, shouting ‘HOUSE!’ with the rest of them in lighting speed!
Know the key differences
The fact is, there aren’t actually many differences between the two forms of the game. The main and most obvious of course is the fact that one is played virtually and one takes place in a bingo hall. The basic principles are the same and the rules are generally the same, yet instead of marking off the numbers yourself, the computer will usually do it for you (though many sites offer you the option for you to change this and do it yourself manually). The numbers are drawn randomly when using a reputable site that use a Random Number Generator (RNG).
Learn the bingo lingo
Learning the ‘bingo lingo’ is a great idea for getting more out of the game in terms of actual player experience and cash rewards. Experienced players will use keyboard shortcuts and bingo slang to chat quickly with other players and this can be a great way of communicating as well as learning about upcoming rooms, sites and cash opportunities. Why not get clued up with bingo lingo ?
Take advantage of the online communities
As briefly mentioned above, getting involved with the online bingo community can be useful for a number of reasons and can be highly beneficial when developing your own game. It can give you that social aspect of the game that is so appealing in the traditional form of bingo, as you can chat on things like user forums, web chats and chat rooms with other players. This is also one of the tactics that some of the bingo pros use to get ahead of the game and learn all about new opportunities, as you can share tips and tricks of new sites, rooms and offers across the web. You can talk to people from all over the globe online which is an advantage you certainly wouldn’t get in a bingo hall! Some users would also most likely be more than happy to help you out if you are struggling which can be a lot quicker than asking the actual site for assistance.
More Like Gaming Than Gambling
Lottery tickets have always been freely available in most countries, apart from those US states and Arab nations where gambling is illegal, but even those areas now enjoy opportunities to play the game, thanks to the availability of lottery tickets online. Websites offer a dedicated online lottery page, enabling Arab citizens to join in the game and enjoy winning chances from many international lotteries.
Spending Less to Win More
Buying lottery tickets online is also popular due to the extras available which can bring more tickets for the money and reduce that overall spend on the game. Even in places where there are plenty of lottery booths and no restrictions, more lottery players are choosing to make purchases online to access bonuses, such as extra tickets, discounts for buying more tickets or for having a regular payment method set up. A traditional store selling lottery tickets only offers the set price per ticket and cannot match this kind of offer, so accessing the online method is not just an extra bonus in itself to players from Arab nations, it can also bring additional bonuses for everyone.
Reducing the Gambling Risk
Buying a lottery ticket online can also reduce the risk of gambling addiction, as a limit can be set for a monthly payment to purchase a chosen number of lottery tickets. These tickets are then entered into the chosen international lottery draw. Sites allow you to set your limit and you only pay for the tickets you purchase for your chosen draw – there’s no e-wallet of bonuses which can only be spent on gambling. It’s then a case of waiting for the numbers to be drawn and hopefully a celebratory email to arrive, rather than drawing on funds you may not have, enabling players to avoid feeding traditional gambling appetites which tend to become all-encompassing in the heat of the conventional online gambling moment.
Increasing the Chance of a Win from an Online Lottery Ticket
Finally, having an online lottery ticket also increases your chances to win through having a legitimate claim because you, along with your tickets, are in the system. Playing the lottery game can be kept a purely personal pleasure as there’s no ticket left laying around! It also means the ticket can’t be lost or picked up and claimed by someone else - because those numbers are registered to you in your purchase via the online system. As long as you keep checking your emails, you can be sure of being notified of a win, even if you’ve been unable to check your numbers yourself!
So, for a winning edge using technology and the freedom of accessing the local lottery games of other nations, Arab citizens are turning to online lottery tickets as a favoured way to play responsibly whilst gaining extra chances to win for doing so!
What Type of Poker Player Are You?
If you are one of the avid poker players, playing the game for fun or to risk the possibility of earning real cash, then you probably belong to one of the types of poker players. There are millions of players worldwide working so hard to master and enjoy poker. To become a better player when playing at any casino online, you have to know the types of poker players and decide whether in what type do you fit. There are 4 types of poker player – the Chameleon, Loose aggressive, Loose passive, Tight aggressive and the Tight passive. So, what type of poker player are you?
1. Loose aggressive
The loose aggressive players frequently raise and bet and loves to play many hands. Pro poker players commonly use this type of strategy in big tournaments for greater success. However, loose aggressive players have high risks of losing a lot of money especially if used by inexperienced players.
Strengths: make opponents wrongly assume, great bluffs, difficult to read, very intimidating. Weaknesses: high risk of losing quickly.
2. Loose passive
The Loose passive players rarely raise and bet but, they players a lot of opening hands. This style of play usually used by beginners. Loose passive players do not bet when they hit the flop for they’re afraid of loosing the opponents chance of betting and fold. They usually call for bets when miss the flop or every time their opponent bluffing. It is a slow but sure gaming strategy.
Strengths: can make the opponent aggravate, difficult to read, good at slow gaming Weaknesses: impossible to make great profits in online poker, weak betting patterns, susceptible to chillers
3. Tight Aggressive
This type of player has a very strong betting pattern or playing style. These players are very powerful and usually used as playing style by many professional players in great casinos in Vegas.
Strengths: conservative, very consistent, very intimidating. Weaknesses: very easy to bluff and to read.
4. Tight passive
This is the weakest style of all four. They could be a powerful rival against aggressive players.
Strengths: very conservative, good at slow gaming. Weaknesses: very easy to read, easy to bluff and bully, usually surpass the most.
5. Chameleon This is the strongest style and very hard to read. It's always changing and powerful in both tournament play and cash game. Only a few players belong to this type for it is very challenging to master. Chameleon players are intellectual, have a good memory, photographic memories and very strong intuition.
Strengths: always changing, hardest to read, very adaptive, best at the bluffs and slow playing, very intimidating.
Weaknesses: extremely hard to master.