Setting up a legal online casino with a valid license in markets like Canada, the US, and the UK costs a lot of money. Owners must cover licensing fees, establish managing companies, rent games from licensed providers, set up offices or physical casino partnerships, and more. The total typically exceeds $500,000, so operators spend months to come up with original branding and website features for a better chance of success.
On the other hand, online casinos operating from offshore locations like Curacao, Panama, Costa Rica, etc. have much fewer boxes to check, and they can accept players from several jurisdictions under the same website to compensate for the cost.
Aussie casino sites fall under the second category, and our team agrees that most brands operating Down Under share several features. Although the same can be said for all online casinos, casino look-alikes are more common in Australia for several reasons. We explore the four most common below.
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Online Casinos Owned by the Same Company
A couple of groups dominate the Aussie digital gambling market. If you have played online pokies, chances are you joined a casino owned by Dama N.V., Hollycorn N.V., or Rabidi N.V. Combined, these three operators manage 100+ online casinos, all of which hold a Curacao license and use Softswiss software.
The latter is a casino technology company enabling operators to set up websites and personalize their features by selecting payment methods, gaming providers, bonuses, etc. All three of those companies have found a working formula and replicate it when launching a new brand, often only changing the name and imagery.
The above isn’t necessarily a bad thing for players, especially since most of the brands operated by the above groups are solid. Some similar features shared by their casinos are highlighted as examples below.
- Fun ID app / Claw Machine – Rabidi N.V. casinos
- 50% weekend reload bonus – Hollycorn N.V. casinos
- Crypto + AUD payments – Dama N.V. casinos
Online Casinos Utilizing the Same Software
Another reason many casino sites look identical is the software they are using. In Australia, RealTime Gaming (RTG) backs 400+ operators managed by different companies.
Although these casino sites provide original bonuses and different features (banking methods, support, license, etc.), they all host an identical lobby powered exclusively by RTG.
Therefore, your gaming options will be the same 200 or so pokies, video poker, jackpot, and table games. RTG covers all types of popular casino games, but the experience can indeed feel repetitive after a while.
On a positive note, some RTG casino sites partner with additional live dealer providers to offer a couple of original games. Also, the wide availability of RTG casinos results in thousands of players engaging with their progressive jackpot pokies which in turn reach millions in prizes.
Mirror Casino Sites
The Australian government has granted ACMA complete freedom to take measures against online casinos ignoring the country’s rules by offering gambling services Down Under. The main weapon against online casinos, which ACMA often employs, is Internet Service Provider (ISP) blocks.
So, when you try to join an operator, you might encounter a message informing you about ACMA’s blacklist instead of showing the casino. There are ways around this, like using VPN. However, operators typically redirect their services to a mirror site with a slightly different domain from the original.
The whole process can be annoying, and a single casino may end up with 50 mirror sites after several blocks. ThePokies.net is an evident example of this. On top, third parties often create similar websites pretending to be the new casino mirror site to trick players. No wonder so many sites look identical in Australia.
Player Demand
Since the launch of the online gambling industry, casinos have been experimenting with all sorts of services. From download software clients to callback services, I’ve encountered many ways through which I could engage with brands.
The gold standard has been established since 2020, or so it seems so far. Any operator that wants to meet players’ needs and get high ratings from experts must provide the following features as a bare minimum:
- Games: Over 1,000 games covering pokies, virtual table games, and a live casino.
- Support: Players demand instant help, ideally through a live chat service manned by real people.
- Compatibility: Instant access to the full lobby is a must, no matter what device players are using.
- License: Players actively search for a valid license before putting their trust in a company.
- Bonuses: Casinos need a welcome bonus in the form of free spins or match bonuses to get players through the door. 100% offers usually do the trick.
Conclusion
The above four reasons are why many Aussie casino sites look similar. The wide reach of some gaming providers (Pragmatic Play, BGaming) and payment methods (Visa, Mastercard, Crypto) also contribute to the trend.
I wish operators tried more to stand out in original ways, but we’ve yet to see any groundbreaking aspects. To end on a positive note, the level of service at Aussie online casinos isn’t bad by any stretch, despite the lack of local regulation.
So, even though many casinos look similar, the experience is overall decent. I recommend finalizing your selection based on visual appeal.
- About the Author
- Affiliate Disclosure
Michael has reviewed and verified all information on this page. Having worked in the iGaming industry for over 8 years, he is the most capable person to help you navigate online casinos, pokies, and the Australian gambling landscape.
