In 1963, Australian folk singer, Rolf Harris, became an overnight international sensation when his hit song parody, “Tie Me Kangaroo, Down,” ascended to the top of the charts.  Besides koala bears and kangaroos, Australia is also renowned for its beautiful beaches and lovely ladies.  It is no small wonder that Australians have a high life expectancy (83 years for women and 78 years for men).

The people of Australia have a wide range of interests, and gambling is a favourite leisure time activity among them.  Recently, there have been legislative attempts to make it easier for Australians to participate in both online gambling as well as free casino gambling.  Two reports filed over the past month indicate that sweeping changes in online, television and telephone wagering regulations are on the horizon. 

At the present time, Australian operators are permitted to provide online horse racing and sports betting online.  However, online poker gambling and participating in play-for-pay online casino games are prohibited by present Australian law.  This does not preclude Australians from gambling online at off-shore sites.  It should be noted that the number of Australians participating in online casino games has virtually doubled to 700,000 persons over the past five years.

By easing up on online gambling restrictions, the Australian government will be able to conduct a three year research project to determine if the easing of online gambling restrictions will augment problem gambling within Australian borders.  While Australians bet heavily on such sports as cricket, field hockey and rugby, there has been a spike in sports gambling on the 2010 World Cup Soccer Championships.

At the other end of the world, Senator Raymond Lesniak has introduced a bill that would allow Atlantic City land casinos to offer online gambling services to persons in the state.  After the bill was passed by the New Jersey State Senate Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee, the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) voiced its displeasure against state regulation of online gambling, but would like to see online gambling regulated on a Federal level.

Last week, the Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Gambling Committee approved a bill for a voter referendum regarding this matter.  Some of the questions revolve around the legalization of sports gambling within the State, the possibility of allowing Atlantic City casinos to offer online gambling, and other gambling options offered at New Jersey racetracks.