Australians Playing at Offshore Online Casinos

Added: November 14, 2014

As of now the Australian government does not licence and regulate online casinos whether operated by Australians or by offshore companies. Therefore Aussie players can choose between unlicensed online casinos or those licensed by offshore jurisdictions.

Wagering at unlicensed online casinos is inviting disaster. Such online casinos are not subject to any regulatory authority and are mostly run by fly by night operators. You do not know when they may close down and take off with your funds. It is difficult to trace them and impossible to initiate legal proceedings against them.

Therefore Aussie players should wager at online casinos licensed and regulated at offshore jurisdictions. Here too players must learn to choose between reputed regulatory authorities and the others. Those with a long history of regulating online gambling are preferable. Some of these are the Government of Gibraltar, the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta and the Alderney Gambling Control Commission.

Offshore regulatory authorities carry out a rigorous due diligence before issuing licences. They investigate the owners and operators of the proposed online casino and check out their financial and gaming history. They ensure that the online casino will have sufficient funds to conduct its operations. Operators are required to open offices and locate their infrastructure in the jurisdiction of the authority. This ensures that the licensor can easily initiate legal action against defaulting operators.

Regulatory authorities insist that the software of the online casino is audited by an expert independent agency. This will ensure that the Aussie players are wagering on fair games and are not being ripped off. The most important component of the software is the random number generator, which is subject to rigorous tests for randomness. The conditions of the license require that such audits are carried out periodically. The online casinos also have to report certified payout percentages, which will give Aussie players added confidence.

Playing at licensed and regulated online casinos will ensure that all operations are continuously monitored. One of the most important of these is receiving payouts in time. Regulated online casinos are required to maintain sufficient liquid balance so as to easily meet the liability of Aussie players. The regulator also ensures that bonuses are awarded fairly. Disputes will rarely arise at reputed online casinos, but nevertheless the regulator ensures that there is a grievance redressal mechanism in place. The licence from the authority is displayed on the home page of the online casino and it does not take much effort to check it out.