When it comes to games of luck and chance, Australians are sure to join the bandwagon. This is one of the reasons why poker is quite a “cordial hunch” for many in the country. The interesting history of poker in Australia goes way back to when the British settlers brought in several game versions including Poker, Blackjack and Card Games which became popular in the 1950s.
Fear of addiction
By the 1970s, live casinos were opening up. Home games and backyard basements where local folk would indulge in poker and card games were becoming equally popular. The rising popularity of poker in Australia must have led to the drafting of several laws that to date guide the gaming fraternity in all regions in the country. The major concern must have been the imminent addiction by local folk to these games. By the time online gaming hit the continent, it was estimated that 75 percent of the total population had taken to gambling with the likelihood of addiction. The government brought in the Internet Gambling Act(IGA) in 2001.
Poker by-laws
Whereas the IGA may have been put in place to rein in on runaway gamblers, poker was not going to disappear anytime soon in the Australian social setting. It didnt matter whether it was played in a real casino. The satisfaction of playing in home games and secondary poker rooms became irresistible. According to http://www.hdftareceiver.com/australia-and-poker/, statistics from the World Gambling Review indicate that the average Australian spent at least $1000 from their annual income to indulge in poker or other gaming activities. After the contemporary overview surrounding poker and its benefits swamped the Australian scene, the laws had to be put in place to curb a poker shift which could have left the average citizen impoverished by the “˜get rich playing poker mentality that was veneered by unrestricted gambling.
New poker trends
Poker in Australia has managed to transit from the backyard home game and smoky garages into a more respectable form of entertainment. The same laws that at a certain point might have come off as harsh and unfriendly to the casino lifestyle have contributed greatly to this transition.
The shift from the backyard poker to international limelight is evident everywhere across the continent. http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/live-events/anzpt shows the presence of prestigious poker tournaments in Australia such as the famed Aussie Millions, which has the most expensive buy-in requirements globally. This is a clear indicator that the gaming fraternity is enjoying the limelight despite the harsh gaming laws that have been described as surly to progressive gamblers.
Glitz, glamour and some more
Today, there is a peculiar trend with the modern gambler. The http://www.abc.net.au/ reports that the poker scene is now teeming with new age gamblers who seem to be dropping from the white-collar job sector to join the poker scene. These seem to be well-educated, competent, and adventurous males who flock poker felts with zeal to win. The Responsible Gambling initiative has been set up to inform the new corporate poker players of wanton gambling despite the financial security that may come being a white-collar professional.
The poker scene in Australia may be facing strict regulations set to discourage gambling. However, as it is, there seems to be a growing preference for poker and other online games as individuals seek to earn that extra dime. Overall, the glamour and glitz associated with the current gambling industry across the continent isnt likely to wane off any time soon. In fact things are yet to get shinier!