Essay About Gambling In Australia

Australia is known for its fantastic sights, unique animals and many other things. But like all good things, it also has its problems that are not easily seen. The country known as the land down under has a unique history with convicts and resources that has led to some problems the country faces today. These problems include a serious gambling problem and environmental concerns. The history of Australia and how it was settled is interesting and different from most other countries. The first Europeans to arrive in Australia landed around 1606. Over the next 150 years, a total of about 54 European ships arrived in Australia. In 1770, Lieutenant James Cook claimed the eastern coast of Australia under construction of King George III of England (“Convict”). Australia
Different ways of gambling have been legalized at different times during the history of Australia. This never stopped Australians from enjoying gambling. In the 1930’s during the development of new communication technology, including radios and telephones, illegal offshore gambling was on a rise (“University”). This created problems with the government as they were not bringing in revenue from gambling. The Australian government came up with a plan to combat this. They decided to introduce a type of gambling called “TABs.” This type of gambling can be compared to a scratch off lottery ticket. Australians began to gamble legally, and these “TABs” became the most popular form of gambling by the 1970’s. Casinos and "pokie" machines took over as the most popular form in the 1990’s (University). Another form of illegal betting that Australians enjoyed was betting on sports. Sports betting was not legal until the 1980’s, but many Australians still took part in their favorite leisure activity. Australia's history of breaking the rules led to their now serious gambling problems