* For most people, gambling is a form of entertainment that is enjoyed responsibly. * Many Australians gamble in some form at least once a year, whether it’s an occasional flutter at the races, buying a lottery ticket, playing the pokies or a night out at the casino. * In 2009, 70 per cent of Australians participated in some form of gambling. * Australians spent more than $19 billion on gambling in 2008-09; around $12 billion of which was spent playing the pokies. PROBLEM GAMBLING * Some people can experience significant harm from gambling. Up to 500,000 Australians are at risk of becoming, or are, problem gamblers.
As the case explains, gambling has existed for many centuries all around the globe. With the evolution of the Internet, this form of recreation has become widely available for everyone with Internet access. This has created opportunities for gamblers, but has become a challenge for those trying to stop the spread of such recreation. To answer the first question, of whether Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) unfairly discriminates against offshore gaming companies, what is (UIGEA) and what it does or is meant to do should be considered first.