It has been estimated that Australians gamble more than any other nation on the planet, including America which has over 1000 casinos. 80% of Australians gamble every year, which includes 4% of people who regularly play a favourite Aussie gaming pursuit – electronic gaming machines, otherwise known as poker machines, or pokies.

Gambling is highest in the North and lowest in the West of the country, and gaming in casinos and other types of betting makes up a significant portion of the country’s revenue.

The monopoly of gambling in the sun-soaked nation continues, especially in the world of pokies, as there are only around three major suppliers of pokie machines. Aristocrat is by far the biggest supplier of machines, with constant new games being added monthly, however companies such as Ainsworth and IGT are also big suppliers to clubs, restaurants, hotels and of course the casinos.

Other smaller names in the business include Konami, WMS Gaming and Star Games manufacture physical gaming machines too, and all of the names listed above have a large stake in creating online pokies for online casinos in nations which allow them.

A few of the most popular pokies titles in Australia are Dragon King, Lightning Link, Thunderbird, Dynamite Dollars and Billyonaire. It’s a fact that one fifth of all the pokies in the world are located in Australia, and the country is constantly seeking out new titles and themes to keep people interested in the gaming experience.

Some of the most popular table games on offer in Australian casinos and other specialist venues include:

• Blackjack – including local casino variations
• Poker – regular, 3-Card stud, Caribbean Stud, Mississippi Stud and Texas Hold’em
• Baccarat – mini and midi versions
• Roulette – plus Rapid Roulette
• Craps
• Sic Bo
• Pontoon
• Reef Routine
• Money Wheel and Big Six Wheel
• Casino War
• Pai Gow

Over 500,000 Australians regularly bet on sports, with a large proportion of those being male, some 88%, most of whom are aged 18-50 and have a full-time job. This group can spend around $1k every year on various sports betting events.

In Australia there are lots of dedicated bookies in physical locations where you can place bets, and just about every casino and many sports bars and pokies lounges will have their own dedicated Totaliser Agency Board, or TAB, kiosk. Here you can not only bet on horses, harness racing and greyhounds, but any sports event locally, nationally or even internationally.

The most popular sports for bettors in Australia are: rugby, cricket, golf, horse racing, international football, basketball and the UFC. It is estimated that around $14bn is wagered every year on sports betting alone in the country, and this is largely due to the fact that online sports betting is permitted, unlike other forms.

Player to player poker, as opposed to player vs casino, is still popular in Australia, even more so when the Poker Ban came into place in 2017 via the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill which prohibited online poker activities.

Australia in fact hosts some of the largest poker tournaments in the world. You can play in casinos or in any kind of dedicated poker lounge.

Yes, both of these games are highly popular in the land Down Under. In any casino that has table games, you will often find large and spacious rooms dedicated to games of Keno and Bingo. Even since legislation passed, Keno and Bingo can both still be played online and has remained popular among Australians.

They both have extensive betting options and large prizes, which caters to all budgets. They’re also highly accessible to anyone as they can be learned quickly and focus solely on the luck of the draw instead of relying on tactics such as in card games.

8% of gamblers in Australia play Keno, and just 3% play Bingo which is less popular, however a massive proportion of people play in the state lotteries, some 76%, which is more or less the same theme of game but is made much more accessible – being broadcast on television and occurring regularly throughout the week.

Having said that, the low amount it costs to play the lottery means that the average person spends only around $600 per year (which is $50 per month, $12.50 per week), as opposed to those who play poker ($1750), those who play on pokies ($1290) and casino table game bettors ($1370).

It is not surprising that just 4 companies hold sway over all the casinos in Australia, and as such there are not a great deal of casino choice.

Tabcorp Holdings, Skycity Entertainment Group, Lasseters Hotel Casino and Federal Hotels are behind the 14 major casinos in the country.