Tattersall's has launched Australia's first new online casino since that nation's Internet gambling prohibition legislation was passed on June 28.
The site, tattsgames.com, was launched in mid-September and will offer table games and slots created by several games developers through Access Gaming System's games development kit.
The site originally had an online gaming license from the Australian Capital Territory and even briefly launched in 2000 for real-money play. But the yearlong moratorium on Internet gambling and subsequent passage of the Interactive Gambling Bill forced the site to close shop.
Now that Australia's laws are reasonably clear, said Paul Barnes, Access' vice president of sales and marketing, Tattersall's was able to relaunch the site under a Tasmanian license, offering both real-money and play-for-fun games. The two-tiered approach keeps players who aren't legally allowed to play online from accessing the real-money section.
"We have combined the high security of the AGS system with sophisticated player location software to ensure that no players from jurisdictions where Internet gambling is illegal can access the site," said John Mortimore, Tattersall's CEO. "The AGS system gives us the power and integrity to operate within the strict guidelines of responsible gaming."
Barnes explained that players from Australia, Ireland, the United States and various European nations that prohibit their citizens from gambling at Internet casinos will be re-directed to Tattersall's play-for-fun section when they enter the online casino.
Citizens of countries where Internet gambling is legal will not be allowed to gamble online at Tattersall’s site when they travel to countries where Internet betting is illegal. This is achieved through the use of geo-location software, Barnes said.
Tattersall's is the one of the largest private organizations in Australia and holds betting licenses in Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Tattersall's also operates lotteries in Fiji, Nauru, the Cook Islands and several other Pacific Island nations and is a partner in Uthingo, the South African National Lottery.