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Separated by the Indian Ocean, South Africa and Australia seem worlds apart. Culturally, they are connected by the type of sports such as Rugby and gambling habits.

For instance, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that over 73% of Australian adults have been gambling in the last 12 months, while South Africa has a lower percentage of 49.4%, as the TGM Research estimates.

However, considering that South Africa has double the population of Australia, looking deeper, there are many similarities in their gambling industries.

History

Australia and South Africa do not have a well-documented history of gambling before the arrival of Europeans in both places. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the original inhabitants of Australia. It is not documented their gambling habits, but research shows that they increased their gambling activities in the 1700s with the introduction of playing cards from Macassan traders. The same story was played in South Africa, as the first games were recorded after the arrival of Europeans.

Nonetheless, traditional tribes engaged in some form of gambling activities, such as the Ancestral Gamblers and Dice-Throwing Divination.

In South Africa, horse race betting began as early as 1793, though it was recorded in 1797 before Australia did the same in 1810. Gambling remained largely unregulated in the 19th and 20th centuries, allowing it to thrive in both territories

Gambling Development

The first legal casino in Australia opened in 1973, paving the way for others, with the second opening in 1977. However, it was not until the 1990s that gambling became one of the up-and-coming industries. Mega casinos were built in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, and other urban centers. The advent of the internet in the late 1990s brought a new development in the industry: online casinos.

Since then, the Australian gambling market has been growing. According to the Queensland Government, the total Australian gambling market was worth over $25 billion in 2019. The online gambling market size reached US$4.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach US$7.2 billion by 2028.

Similarly, the gambling industry was a big thing in South Africa in the 1990s since gambling was legalized in 1996 through the National Gambling Act of 1996. During this time, many gambling operators turned their attention to South Africa. The industry experienced rapid growth with the establishment of numerous gambling facilities and online casinos. Currently, the online gambling market is projected to reach US$828.50 million in 2024.

Laws and Regulations

With a thriving gambling market, both Australia and South Africa have set up laws and regulatory bodies to ensure fair and responsible gambling practices. The national gambling regulatory bodies are the National Gambling Board (NGB) in South Africa and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Both these regulatory bodies are enabled by legislation.

Land-based gambling in Australia is regulated at state and territory levels. Each of Australia’s eight states and territories independently regulates gambling, gaming, and betting activities within their jurisdictions. In South Africa, regulation is done by NGB at the provincial level.

Both countries engage in interactive games online. Online gambling in Australia is regulated at the federal level by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Cth) (IGA), which outlines the general policy for Australia. To keep customers safe, the country has a list of licensed online gaming providers. Also, we recommend checking the top online pokies in Australia for safe betting sites. These sites have valid licenses, high-end security measures to protect your personal information and offer secure payment methods

The NGB does not have a whitelist of all legal gambling operators in South Africa. However, always when playing online, be on the lookout for the casino’s license on their homepage.

Available Games

Due to the similar legislative and cultural frameworks and licensing restrictions, casinos in each country are distinct. However, the two countries have attracted top game developers, such as NetEnt and Microgaming, who offer various themed games. In both countries, you’ll find:

• Classic casino games (blackjack, roulette, baccarat)
• Sports betting
• Lotteries
• Limited payout machines (LPMs) similar to slot machines
• In some cases, bingo

Gambling habits

As aforementioned, Australia has a higher rate of adult gamblers than South Africa. The most popular gambling sport in South Africa is the national lottery, which has a participation rate of 75% of all gamblers. Online betting and sports betting are also popular. Similarly, the most popular gambling activity in Australia is also the lotteries, with a participation rate of 64%, followed by race betting, sports betting, and poker machines.

Due to the higher level of poverty in South Africa, most people bet to earn extra income, while in Australia, it is just another cultural activity or source of entertainment. Additionally, many gamers love betting on the internet as it is much cheaper. Australia has hundreds of online gambling sites, while South Africa has 30 licensed online sports betting sites.

Land-Based casinos

Both nations are similar in many ways when it comes to land-based casinos. South Africa has 38 licensed land-based casinos out of the 41 maximum licenses, while Australia has 14. Different gambling companies operate in both countries. However, the two nations have casino resorts that are considered top gambling destinations.

These casino resorts offer excellent game collections, dining services and world-class accommodation.  For example, Sun City Resort is one of the most luxurious land-based casinos in SA. It boasts hundreds of modern slot machines and over 40 table games, which guests can play on the plush main casino floor or private area. Similarly, Crown Melbourne in Australia is among the world’s largest casino complexes. It features over 2000 gaming machines and tables.

Conclusion

Australia and South Africa have similar approaches to gambling. They use states in Australia and provinces in South Africa to regulate gambling. This allows them to address regional differences and maintain flexibility in their regulatory approaches. They also protect citizens from malicious gaming providers to ensure the best gaming experience.