How Gambling Shapes The Australian Culture
A culture pot is a mish-mash of different ingredients that serve us a delicious soup. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but for those who stay at the dinner table, a feast is guaranteed. Now that we’re all hungry and wanting more, it’s worth going through the cultural ingredients that shape every country, for the fine details are what make the experience. The roar of the fans when high stakes are involved echoes through the country with each game, but what makes them tick?
1. Casino culture
When you put together people who live for excitement, ambition, and thrill, it is no wonder casinos found themselves widespread across the country. The casino experience is synonymous with the main driving force behind its players and visitors. Excitement, thrill, and a new experience are part of each of the 20 different land-based casinos spread across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, etc.
And while these land-based casinos are great for local or nearby players, those not anywhere near them may have a bit of a harsher time getting to them. Culture has spread online, for it knows no bounds, and the need for casinos has resulted in players wishing to find a solution. Nothing can emulate the live experience, smell, and atmosphere of a physical casino, but online casinos offer benefits that real ones can’t compete with.
Players can play at any time and any place, where the only question remains what online casino to play? At the moment, Australian law is restrictive towards online casino games and sites, but ingenuity and thinking on your feet are part of our culture. Players can still access offshore casinos, and any of the recommended, safe sites from SportsCasting’s list of AUS casinos will do the job. And when local regulations change, we’ll see how the casino culture will adapt and follow.
2. Pokies
Pokies are the easiest way to tell if someone is a local or a tourist. If you hear someone call these machines “slots”, that’s an obvious sign they are not from around these parts. Slang and expressions are common for each language, shaping the culture surrounding the expression. Locally, these machines are called pokies, just as in Scotland they are called Puggie, and slot machines as they are called elsewhere.
While the names may differ, what they have in common is popularity and gameplay, which are universal factors driving up their significance and the role they play in any casino, real or online. The simplicity of their game design provides for instant gameplay and entertainment, resonating with the casino crowd from which the nickname “pokies” came. Nicknames and expressions are tied to the things we love and hold some meaning to us, and judging by that, pokies are here to stay!
3. Carnivals!
What better way to celebrate sports and their significance in any culture than via carnivals? The most famous ones, like Sydney Spring Carnival, Brisbane Winter Race, Perth Summer Racing, Melbourne Spring Carnival, and many more, draw crowds from the entire country, and the world. Melbourne Cup holds great significance on the carnival landscape, having been running since 1861 when only major catastrophes like WWI and II caused it to stop. The Melbourne Carnival has been a public holiday for Victoria state since 1876, making more people free to come and enjoy it to the fullest.
All this shows how integrated horse racing is and how the festival holds a special place in the cultural landscape, and horse betting is not exempt. Horse betting is not legal everywhere in the world, but it’s unimaginable to have all these carnivals and races without horse betting in each. And which horse will it be this year? Circle of Fire, Middle Earth, Makybe Diva, or Onesmoothoperator? As with all the attendees and bettors, it will be revealed on Carnival Day.
Sometimes it is fun to wonder, do gambling traditions shape culture, or does culture form gambling traditions and habits? It’s the chicken and the egg story all over again, but in the end, all that matters is that you have fun while doing it. Gambling sailed, settled, and found its place here, just like everyone else. And just like everyone else, it became fond of its new home.