Online Casino Blog

Australian annual losses through gambling are estimated to be around $20 billion.  This makes some wonder whether the move to legalise online poker sites is a good idea.

 

Poker machines themselves attribute to a huge amount of these losses.  It is easy to lose $1500 an hour on the pokies, making governments under pressure to impose some new gambling restrictions. 

 

Statistics show that 15% of poker machine players have a serious gambling problem, and that these 15% account for 40% of pokie machine turnover.

 

By 2016 the Productivity Commission indiciates that poker machines should have pre-committed and easier playing limits, upgrading of playing patterns, ways of seeing the actual cost of play, more direct warnings, $1 play limits and limits on cash and credit imputs.  Another suggestion being that wins over $300 should be paid by cheque.

 

Some people favour pokie machines being available only in casinos and at racecourses.  So, although in most States, there is a restriction on the number of machines allowed, this would take revenue away from clubs and pubs and in turn away from the charities and community projects they support.

 

One point of view regarding the debate between pokies and online poker is that poker is a game of skill played against other people with the house taking a small percentage, whereas pokies have set maximum winning potential, with the odds stacked very firmly against the player.

 

So the debate as to whether online gaming sites should be legalised with the resulting tax benefit for governments, against tighter restrictions on pokie machines and losses for community projects, will continue.

 

However, gambling is obviously a problem for some people, and it is likely these people will always find an outlet for their gambling addiction whatever restrictions are in place.

The legalisation of online gambling is a subject which is under much discussion in many parts of the world, including Australia, but most particularly in America.

 

Since the last Bush administration dramatically closed down the industry in the US, many people and groups have been working towards a relaxation of the strict laws banning online gambling conpanies from operating within America.

 

Nevada, a high profile state in regard to gambling, not least because Las Vegas is situated at its heart, has been very much involved in the debate over online gambling in the States.

 

However, the gambling authority in Nevada has warned Las Vegas casinos not to set up online casinos until it is legalised under State or Federal law.

 

It seems that many Las Vegas casinos have already made agreements with online casino groups in order to make sure that they are ready if and when the industustry is officially regulated.

 

Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has already set up an online branch and launched its own online casino.  However, it cannot currently accept players who live in the US.

 

Many casinos are anxious to establish online gambling, in part because revenue is falling in land based casinos, and they see the way forward as being through the ever growing and popular online gambling trend.