The gambling industry has an estimated $400 billion value as of today. According to the Business Research Company, the market increases at a rate of 5.9% every year. Further projection sees the gambling industry reaching $565.4 billion by the end of 2022.
Incredibly, about 26% of the world’s total population gambles.
Of the industry’s total volume, internet gaming accounts are worth around $50 billion, and the numbers are rising. At least one in every four persons you find in the world gambles – a fact that warrants repeating.
Australia, as a country, contributes a considerable quota to the size of the industry. Interestingly, about 80% of the country play slot games, with most online casino games in the country are slot games.
When it comes to gambling in Australia, online pokies are the most popular. Which comes as no surprise, since the name ‘pokies’ has its root linked with Aussie slang. The simplicity in their design and gameplay, coupled with excellent graphics, are some of the selling points that first come to mind. The rules to win are pretty straightforward, and more importantly, the payout can potentially be massive.
Across Australia, you will find any number of online casinos where you can play different games. Many of which aren’t afraid to offer competitive bonuses and promotions to attract new customers. Find the best online pokies for real money in Australia 2020 in the highest paying online casinos and you could be looking at anything up to a $10,000 Bonus + 400 Free Spins.
Online Pokies Safety – Your Number-One Priority
Australia, as a country, faces a unique problem with fraud. According to a survey by Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand (PWC), over the last two years, at least 30% of Australia’s companies have been scammed in one way or another. In what seems to be a severe issue, most companies get scammed by their customers. According to the survey by PwC, 35% of companies in Australia are scammed by customers, followed closely by hackers. The total loss attributed to these fraudulent activities stands at about $42 billion in just two years.
Fraud in any system will not leave overnight of its own accord. The process has to be continuous and must involve multiple affirmative action systems that must work together.Unfortunately, despite being seriously affected by fraudulent activity, PwC observes that Australia is not doing a great deal to tackle it.
A recent survey by PwC showed that the nation is falling short of expectations in many areas. For instance, fraud detection in Australia is still very much in its primitive stage. According to the survey by PwC, this is mostly because fraud detection is surprisingly costly.
Choosing a Safe Online Casino
Taking into account all of the above, the importance of choosing a safe online casino goes without saying. While the vast majority of online casinos in Australia are safe, reputable and worth checking out, there will always be a few proverbial ‘bad apples’ in the bunch.
Luckily, narrowing things down to only the most reputable casinos in the business isn’t particularly difficult. Simply by conducting the following five quality checks, you’re more or less guaranteed a safe and enjoyable experience.
Here’s what you should be looking for when on the hunt for a safe online gaming experience in Australia this year:
Licensing and Regulation
To one extent or another, every casino doing business in Australia needs to be formally licensed and regulated. Those that aren’t are far too risky to do business with, as there’s really nothing you can do if they decide to grab your money and head for the hills. Always check whether the casino you’re planning on playing at is licensed and regulated, before signing up.
Commitment to Safety
After which, it’s worth checking the casino’s terms and conditions to see just how committed they are to safety. All good casinos understand and appreciate how important safety is, therefore make a real song and dance about their safety-centric policies and procedures. Don’t make assumptions – see what they have to say about safety and accept nothing less than their total commitment.
Transparent Transaction Policies
While browsing their terms and conditions, you’ll also want to make sure that they have clear and transparent transaction policies in place. This means making it quick and easy to both deposit and withdraw funds, without excessive fees, commissions or restrictions on transactions in either direction. A responsible casino will never make it unnecessarily difficult for players to get their hands on their cash.
Quality Customer Support
This is one of the most important hallmarks of a safe and responsible online casino. Quality customer support means representatives available night and day via multiple channels, such as telephone, live chat and so on. It also means fast response times, professional attitudes and a willingness to help. Feel free to put the casino’s customer support team to the test before signing up – it’ll usually give you a good idea of how they do business.
Reviews and Recommendations
Last but not least, there’s no quick or easier way of getting a feel for a casino than seeing what other players have had to say. Independent reviews and recommendations are a fast-track solution when evaluating online casinos, providing honest insights and accurate accounts from actual customers. If the general consensus points to a safe bet, that’s most likely what you’re looking at!
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