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What do Australians do when they don’t have to be at their workstations in the office or need to get away from the routine of home?
Aussies are known for their rigid yet relaxed work habits and regular home environment, which help fuel their economy and make them one of the richest countries in the world.
But they are also fun-loving people, who enjoy spending their free time with family and friends, usually in the great outdoors for a dip in the lake or beach, or on a bush walk along mountain trails.
And of course there’s no denying that Aussies are also very much into spectator sports, especially football, cricket and basketball. They enjoy competitive team sports, and will happily sit through an exciting game with a beer or a soda in one hand, fish and fries in the other.
For quite a number of Australians though – some 6.8 million in fact – gambling is a great way to have fun outside of work and home routines, as long as it is done responsibly of course. That’s about 40% of the population, spending vacation days or leisure hours enjoying the various games of chance and the thrills of betting. Well, at least before the recent global health events, when it was quite common and easy to play in any of the stylish casinos in major cities across Australia.
There are many Australian casino sites (and sports betting sites) open to Aussies today, which provide them with an outlet for their love of sports and interest in gambling. It’s also a tourism draw and source of income for the government.
Gambling after all, whether physical or online (as long as the site operates outside of Australia), is legal for anyone 18 and above.
With many sports events and public places for recreational activities closed down due to the recent health-related restrictions, the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) has noted a worrisome sharp increase in the number of Australian gamblers placing their bets online.
Australian laws provide no legal prohibitions for online casino and sports betting, except for high-capital requirements and tax rates. Gambling companies are also prohibited from advertising their operations and are not allowed to accept minors below 18 years to play.
These prohibitions are steep for new casino operators. But not for the established ones and a number of offshore gambling companies, however, which have been providing online casino and sports betting options even for home bodies.
An anti-gambling advocate now longs for the return to pre-pandemic days when people had more choices for other recreational activities, without having to engage in any form of gambling.
Not everyone thinks the problem is dire. After all, very few people have excess funds for gambling and, if they do have funds and wish to gamble, that is their inherent right.
Everyone seems to be in agreement that Australia’s economy, like other countries across the globe, has weakened due to the pandemic.
With the economy gradually opening up, following the evidently efficient and effective vaccine rollouts, the focus is to increase productivity and strengthen resilience to get the economy back to pre-pandemic levels.
National borders may be temporarily closed to tourists, but the great outdoors of Australia continues to be a wide open space for trekkers, anglers, and other outdoor adventurers. Answering the call from Australia’s wild gives you a much-needed break in these restless times.
A common advice to people stressed and pressured by the pandemic is: “Go fish” in a literal sense with matching hook and line. It’s guaranteed to sink your troubles away and to give you a fresh, new outlook in life.
As a modern sage has said: “Fishing provides time to think, and reason not to. If you have the virtue of patience, an hour or two of casting alone is plenty of time to review all you’ve learned about the grand themes of life. It’s time enough to realize that every generalization stands opposed by a mosaic of exceptions, and that the biggest truths are few indeed.”
While some turn to gambling to boost their moods and acquire instant positive gratification, many Aussies are turning to the wild, open spaces of Australia’s outback for a more winning mood without risking and betting anything to receive something of more value – peace and harmony in their work spaces at home and in the office.
Australians will need plenty of such when the pandemic situation ends and they can all resume their normal activities with family and friends – simply fishing and trekking, with no cards to keep, no dice to roll, and no wheels to spin.
