An area of outstanding natural beauty, gambling may be the last thing you think of when someone mentions Tasmania.
However, Tasmania has an important part to play in Australian gambling: it's home to Australia's first legal casino, The Wrest Point Hotel Casino.
But, if you're not up for a road trip, you can enjoy plenty of gambling action in Tassie without leaving your living room.
Home to around 220,000 permanent residents, Hobart – the capital of Tasmania – had a rather inauspicious start. It was founded as a penal colony in the 1800s and became home to thousands of exiled prisoners.
That convict population is a distant memory now, with a thriving tourism industry and almost 2 million people visiting Tasmania every year.
As well as areas of outstanding natural beauty, Hobart also houses a concert hall (with its own symphony orchestra), Australia's oldest theatre and a vibrant music scene.
In addition to the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, which prevents Australia-based online casinos from offering their services to Australian players, Tasmania has also passed the Gaming Control Act 1993.
As a result of these laws, it's very difficult for Tassie players to gamble on the web in true Australian online casinos. However, many international online casinos cater for Australian players by offering deposits and withdrawals in AUD and featuring pokies that Tas players will recognise from offline venues.
As mentioned above, there are two offline casinos in Tasmania: The Wrest Point Hotel Casino and The Country Club.
In the former, you'll find over 20 different table games and 600+ pokies, while the latter houses about the same number of table games but around 500 gaming machines.
Located on opposite sides of the country, the positioning of these two casinos means that many Tasmanian players are within driving distance of a casino if they fancy some gambling action.
As the legislation regarding online gambling currently stands, it's legal for players in Tasmania to enjoy playing for real money on the web.
In fact, with hundreds of online casinos out there, the only tricky part is figuring out where you're going to play. And that's something we can definitely help with.
We review sites using a wide range of criteria, including whether or not they accept AUD, the size and terms of their welcome bonus, the range of games they offer and much more.
Of the factors that determine whether an online casino is worth trying or not, the welcome bonus they offer is certainly one of the biggest.
Some bonuses have small print making it very difficult to obtain its full value in the time you have to unlock it. This is something to watch out for, and one thing that we will always draw attention to in our reviews.
Stick with us, and you'll be playing at one of the best online casinos for Tasmanian players in no time.
Is online casino gambling legal in Tasmania?
It most definitely is, just as in all the rest of the continent! There are no specific Tasmanian laws regulating online gambling further.
What gambling laws should I know?
There are two laws regulating gaming in Tasmania: the Interactive Gambling Act (2001) and the Gaming Control Act (1993), but neither of them focuses on the players. They control the casino practices, ensuring their safety and legality.
What is the minimum required age?
As in the rest of Australia, the minimum age to enter a live casino or play online is 18.
How are casinos regulated in TAS?
Australia as a whole regulates online casinos through the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, which overrules most laws that came before it, and which effectively prevents Australian-based online casinos from working with Australian players. However, this opens the market to competitive overseas gaming sites which accept Australian players with open arms.
Do I need to pay taxes on winnings?
Luckily, Australia looks on gambling as a recreational activity, and thus it doesn’t tax the players who win from it. This is your chance to make some money.
What does the future hold?
The future is bright for Australian players, as there are no plans to change the current laws, while the number of available online and live casinos is growing every day. So find a casino that accepts AUD and try it all!
What are the best live casinos in the area?
The Wrest Point Hotel Casino is definitely the best, and it is also the first legal casino to have opened on Australian land back in 1973. It is a part of the even older hotel Wrest Point Riviera, and it offers marvellous views and a large selection of restaurants and bars. Of course, it also has a wide variety of games and gaming machines open for most of the afternoon and night.
If this does not appeal to you, there is also The Country Club, which, in addition to having around the same number of gaming tables and machines, also has a golf course and often features live music acts.
