Footballers Who Love to Gamble in Australian Casinos

There is no doubt that online casinos are one of the most popular pastimes around the world, and Australia is no exception. Even sports stars, who are used to getting their adrenaline flowing on the playing field, are avid gambling and betting fans. So what makes online gaming so appealing?

We turned to the professionals at the BPokies company to get the answer to this question. In this blog article, we'll go through the reasons behind the popularity of online gambling in Australia, along with John Gold, and mention some of the famous football players who like to play at Australian casinos.

Why Gambling is Popular in Australia?

Online gambling is the fastest-growing segment of gambling around the world, including in Australia. According to statistics, in 2022, more than 11% of Australians have gambled online in the previous 6 months. This figure is up from 8% in 2020.

Gambling in Australia has gained popularity over the years due to several reasons. Some of the main reasons include;

• The legalisation of online gambling: Over the years, gambling in Australia has been governed by several different laws and regulations. However, in recent years, the industry has been given a major boost by the introduction of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. This act made it legal for Australians to gamble online, and this has had a major impact on the way that Aussie players gamble.
• The availability of online casinos: With the legalisation of online casinos and gambling in Australia, both demand and supply in the online gambling market have increased. The Australian market has opened up to international online casinos and underground local online casinos have come out of the shadows and been licensed to operate.
• The popularity of sports betting: Sports betting has always been extremely popular in Australia, but with the emergence of covid, greater accessibility to international platforms, and revelations from celebrities about their love of sports betting and gambling, its popularity has grown even more.

Popular Football Gamblers

For a very long time, gambling was seen as something taboo and vicious, but that has now changed, and not without the help of celebrities from the world of football. Some famous players have no problem admitting that they enjoy online gambling every chance they get.

Let's take a look at John’s list of some of the most famous football players who like to gamble, including at Australian casinos.

Cristiano Ronaldo

One of the biggest names in world football, Cristiano Ronaldo is no stranger to gambling. The Portuguese superstar is known to be a big fan of playing at brick-and-mortar casinos and in the Australian online pokies. In 2012, it was reported that Ronaldo had lost around £61,000 in a casino in Lisbon.

Lionel Messi

Like Ronaldo, Lionel Messi is also known to be a big fan of online gambling. It has been reported that the Argentinian superstar has lost large sums of money in casinos all over the world on numerous occasions. In 2012, it was reported that Messi had lost around £250,000 in a casino in Barcelona.

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney is another high-profile footballer who loves to tickle the nerves by placing bets. The England captain is known to be a regular at casinos in Manchester. However, he has also been known to gamble in Australian casinos on occasion. For example, in 2012, it was reported that Rooney had lost around £500,000 in a casino in Sydney.

Gigi Buffon

It has long been no secret that this Italian goalkeeper is a passionate poker enthusiast, and is even doing well in it. It’s important to note that in 2012, it was reported that Gigi Buffon lost nearly £1 million at a casino in Monte Carlo, so he decided to try his hand at online gambling, and that same year he backed PokerStars.

Zlatan Ibrahimović

The Swedish legend with Yugoslavian roots succeeds not only on the football pitch. He is known to be a gambling fan and frequents both land-based casinos and online gambling. However, he is always in favour of safe gambling and trusted intermediaries. This is why Zlatan is now a global ambassador for Swedish betting company Bethard, which is completely legal and safe.

Conclusion

There are some reasons why gambling is so popular all over the world and especially in Australia. As you can see, football stars are no strangers to gambling at land-based and online casinos, including Australian ones.

However, it should be noted that gambling can be a risky activity and should only be undertaken by those who are willing to risk their own money. If you do decide to gamble, always remember to set yourself a budget and stick to it.

Note: Gambling can be addictive and a destructive habit. If you or your loved one is suffering from a gambling problem, kindly seek help by calling the Gambling Helpline: 1800 858 858.