A major chunk of the north-central region of Australia is occupied by the sparsely populated Northern Territory (fewer than 250,000 people reside inside its limits). That is less than half of Tasmania’s population, making it the least populated state or territory in the nation. The majority of Tasmanians reside in Darwin or along the Stuart Highway. Nevertheless, the area is popular with visitors, who frequent Ayers Rock and Kakadu National Park.
NT also plays a significant role in the online gaming sector. Since 1998, the government there has issued licenses for Internet gaming, making it the most popular site for organizations seeking to lawfully conduct online gambling operations in the country. However, not all sorts of online wagering are sanctioned by the Australian government, so although there are some locally controlled choices, gamers who want to play casino or poker games from the comfort of their own homes must seek out international possibilities.
Even with few players, there are several gaming options.
Given the Territory’s limited population, one may assume that there are few possibilities for gamblers here, at least on a significant scale. In reality, though, there are almost as many options for Top Enders as there are for gamblers everywhere in the nation.
Currently, there are two casinos in operation in NT, each serving a separate region. The Lasseters Hotel Casino is situated in Alice Springs and has exclusive casino gaming rights in the Southern Division of the territory until at least 2018. Despite its isolated position, the resort is recognized as much for its breathtaking vistas and local attractions as for its gambling. It also contains restaurants, nightclubs, and other facilities that make it a high-end resort.
If you want to stay in the city, you may want to check out Skycity Darwin. In 1979, the Don Casino, situated in the Don Hotel, became the first casino to open in Darwin and the second in all of Australia. This venue’s license was moved to Mindil Beach four years later. Since then, the resort’s name and ownership have changed multiple times, with the current owners being Skycity Entertainment Group, which purchased the property from MGM Grand in 2004. In addition to 750 slot machines and a selection of table games, guests may enjoy a huge hotel, restaurants, bars, a day spa, and more throughout their stay.
The availability of pokies is not limited to these two big gambling areas. Until recently, there was a somewhat modest restriction on the number of machines that may be housed in NT: 1190 outside of the two casinos, with a maximum of 10 machines in each pub and 45 machines in each club. Those numbers grew to 20 and 55, respectively, beginning in July 2015, and thus, gaming income surged.
Even though the racing sector is far smaller in the Territory compared to more populous regions, the sport is offered there. Thoroughbred Racing NT governs horse racing, with the Darwin Turf Club being the largest racing organization. They conduct events like as the Carlton Mid Darwin Cup from Fannie Bay, as well as races in the Alice Springs Turf Club, Adelaide River, and other areas. Greyhound racing is also accessible, with the majority of important races held at Winnellie Park in Darwin.
Tattersall’s, sometimes known as Tatts, operates the lottery system in NT, as it does in the rest of the nation. Local draws are minimal because to the small population, however residents may also participate in national lotteries like as Powerball and Oz Lotto.
The Online Licensing Center
The Northern Territory plays an outsized role in the Australian online gaming business that is regulated. It is the primary destination for Australian companies who want to legally provide wagers to Australian gamers (and, potentially, in some other nations as well). The Northern Territory has played this function since 1998, when it established the Northern Territory Gaming Control (Internet Gaming) Act, and has retained its monopoly on licensing because to its very low tax rates and fees.
However, there are restrictions on what licensees may provide, at least inside Australia. This is the result of the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act, a federal statute. This legislation established the regulations for all interactive betting in the nation, and for the most part, the rule was straightforward: organizations are not permitted to provide such wagers in Australia or to two Australians, regardless of where their headquarters are located.
There were a few significant exceptions. Lottery tickets, for instance, may be sold online so long as they are not “instant win” games such as scratch cards and the like. The largest and most significant exception is internet sports betting, which is almost totally legal. This is with the exception of in-play wagering, which is prohibited (though punters can still make these bets at a retail location or over the phone). Even yet, numerous organizations have developed methods to circumvent this prohibition almost totally, including click-to-call buttons to enable gamblers to use their mobile phones to make in-play wagers through the Internet, while officially needing a “call” to confirm them.