History of Gambling in Australia
Australia has one of the richest gambling traditions in the world, deeply woven into the nation’s cultural fabric. From colonial-era horse racing to the explosion of poker machines and the rise of online casinos, this guide traces the key moments in Australian gambling history.
Timeline of Key Events
| Year | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1810 | First official horse race in Sydney | Established racing as Australia’s first organised gambling activity |
| 1880s | Two-up emerges as a national pastime | Coin-tossing game became synonymous with Australian gambling culture |
| 1881 | Tattersall’s lottery begins in Tasmania | First legal lottery operation in Australia |
| 1956 | First poker machine installed in NSW | Wrest Point Casino (TAS) granted first Australian casino licence |
| 1973 | Wrest Point Casino opens in Hobart | Australia’s first legal casino |
| 1994 | Crown Melbourne opens | Became one of the largest casinos in the Southern Hemisphere |
| 1997 | Star City (now The Star) opens in Sydney | NSW’s first and only casino |
| 2001 | Interactive Gambling Act passed | Federal legislation targeting online gambling operators |
| 2017 | IGA Amendment strengthens enforcement | ACMA gains power to block illegal gambling websites |
| 2023 | BetStop national self-exclusion launches | First national gambling self-exclusion register |
The Pokies Phenomenon
Australia has more poker machines per capita than any other country — approximately 200,000 machines across the nation. NSW alone has around 90,000 machines in pubs and clubs, generating billions in revenue annually. The cultural significance of “pokies” in Australian pubs and clubs cannot be overstated; they fund community clubs, sporting organisations, and local infrastructure.
However, pokies have also been the subject of intense debate about gambling harm, with critics arguing that their prevalence contributes disproportionately to problem gambling rates. This tension between community funding and harm prevention continues to shape Australian gambling policy.
The Online Era
Online gambling in Australia grew rapidly in the early 2000s, prompting the federal government to pass the Interactive Gambling Act in 2001. Despite the legislation targeting operators, offshore casinos continued to serve Australian players, and the market has grown significantly with the rise of PayID payments and cryptocurrency, making access easier than ever.