“The worst thing you can do is use VPN in online casinos that don’t accept Australians”

An Aussie gambler shares thoughts on online casino gaming. Well, sort of…

So, here is the deal with this interview dedicated to online casino gambling in Australia. For years now, we’ve been keeping our interviews section reserved for the software developing studios and casinos. Here, they’d share thoughts about what’s going on in the industry, as well as about hot company news. But it’s been an odd year, and it shifted perspectives, allowing us to look broader at the conversation and at who should be invited to contribute. 

And we thought, hey, Australia’s been topping the lists of the world’s most frequent online gamblers for years now. If there is someone who knows the industry, it’s the regular Aussie who’s done a certain share of research, knows the market, and is ready to talk about what it’s really like playing online. 

To be able to put together an interview that covers everything about online gaming in Australia, including the best casinos, pros and cons of using a VPN, free poker and pokies, payment methods, Bitcoin deposits, and bonuses, we’ve spent a great deal of time surfing the popular forums and summarizing the answers. Now, we present to you an Aussie AI gambler of sorts, someone who’s been around the block, doesn’t really care much about promoting particular brands, and knows what really works, and what is a waste of time when it comes to wagering cash online. 

Let’s call this AI-inspired mate Danny. 

Welcome, Danny! We’ve been covering the topic of online gambling for Australia for a while now, but really appreciate a user’s perspective. What, in your opinion, is the first issue an average Aussie gambler stumbles upon when starting to play online?

Hey, it’s great to be here, thanks for having me! So, I find it really confusing, if not to say frustrating when a certain gambling portal or a website says that an online casino accepts Australian players, and then you head to that recommended casino, and it is closed for our country. I mean, I understand that regulations in different countries change all the time and the website might’ve accepted Aussies yesterday, but closed that gate as of today, you know. Still, this is time-consuming. 

I mean, there are brands like Spartan Slots or Space Lilly, that have been loyal to Australian gamblers, but it is just so frustrating sometimes being resorted to the same content when there are so many cool new studios and games out there.

The general advice that circulates the forums is using VPNs in online casinos that would not otherwise accept Australian players. What are your thoughts?

Nah, this advice is no good, mate. For starters, these casinos are getting better and better at catching funnelled traffic. And even if you use a VPN, slip through the gates, register, deposit, and start playing, it doesn’t mean you are safe. 

If you just registered, played, and lost your money, no one really cares. But let’s say you won. Now you need to request a payout, and this means going through the verification procedure. So, they now know, you’re Aussie, and their T&C clearly state that they don’t accept Australia. Therefore, they have the power to deny you of your wins because you have forfeited their terms and conditions. 

...even if you use a VPN, slip through the gates, register, deposit, and start playing, it doesn’t mean you are safe...

So, what are your thoughts on the websites that do accept Australian players? What is something you’d check first in a new lobby prior to registering?

I’d head to the bonus T&C because the devil’s in the details. You see, there are websites created purely for Australia, and these are usually reasonable. But there are also brands that have the cashier adapted to our country, with the rest of the T&C being just over the roof. Like, I’d check the bonus wagering requirements and allowed games for Australia. This is usually where I’d see whether I do or don’t want to get involved. Also, banking. For some Australian cards, the fees may be up to 11%!

I’d say that locations like Loki, Oshi, and Joe Fortune are generally good to us. I am looking forward to more brands appearing out there, though. It is a bit frustrating. I know the American players have the same struggle of finding trustworthy websites with a good selection of games and promotions.

Do you mean the scarcity of different pokies?

This, too. I do miss the times prior to 2017 when that new Interactive Gaming Amendment Bill was passed when we could play in casinos like 32Red. Microgaming has a lot of great games that we now cannot access. But also, live dealer streams. This is harsh. There’s been a few new studios popping up on our market, like Visionary iGaming. But you play them once, you head to the next site, play the same selection of games again, and with time, you are really getting tired of the same patterns. Are they releasing anything new any time soon?

We’ll check with them. What about the free play for pokies or pokers? Does it matter much when you decide to register on a particular website?

Free gaming is so much bollocks, mate. I don’t understand why people obsess so much about it and why the brands make it into a selling point. There’s no way you’d behave the same way you do in the test mode if there was real money involved. There’s no way you’d think the way you do or be as relaxed and confident. Money puts everything in the perspective. 

So I say, with poker games, learn the rules. And get in the game. Or don’t, if you don’t feel confident. But don’t let the free play mode fool you. With pokies, free play or not, it doesn’t matter. There is hardly a decision you can make during the game that will influence the outcome. Pokes are games of chance. The only decision you can make is to take your money and leave.

But while we are on the subject of free poker play, for my Australian mates I’d recommend looking for lobbies that offer a no-deposit welcome. That way, you still have money in the game, but the risks are lower. I think, Ignition still has it.

...I don’t understand why people obsess so much about free pokers and why the brands make’em a selling point. There’s no way you’d behave the same way you do in the test mode if there was real money involved...

What would you prefer – Australia-friendly online casinos that accept AUD or BTC?

In a good lobby, where they don’t charge you with high fees, AUD is fine. They should offer it either with Neosuf or Poli payment methods, though. 

I do enjoy BTC, too. Especially after I took some time to figure out how the cryptocurrency system works, it has a lot of benefits. Remember how I said that sometimes certain brands will charge you with up to 100% in fees for using an Australian credit card? Well, this is never the issue with BTC, mate. All this time this currency’s been online, it has established itself as a go-to payment method, and if I have a chance to play at a BTC-friendly Australian online casino, I’d do it.

The gambling culture in Australia is strong, but I have to point out that the laws are also stricter than in many other countries.

How do you feel about Australia constantly being among the world’s top online gamblers?

The gambling culture in Australia is strong, but I have to point out that the laws are also stricter than in many other countries. We have pokie rooms in local clubs and hotels, and at the same time, we can’t gamble online. I’d say this is an ongoing conversation, with lobbyists constantly initiating a dialogue about limiting the bets and setting a certain amount you can lose per hour on a pokie, while online gamblers hope the day will come when online regulations become at least a bit less strict. We’ll see where it all goes. So far, hopefully, the online list of brands gets at least a bit more diverse.