Navigation Menu

Tips for Gambling in a Casino Abroad

Casino tourism is becoming a popular new trend, and as more and more resorts begin to pop up all over the world, travelers are drawn like a moth to a flame to gamble in some of the most exotic locations in the world.

For instance Australia recently reported that their 3 most popular tourist attractions were not the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Opera House or the iconic Uluru, but rather the Crown Casino Melbourne, Jupiters Casino Queensland, and the Star in Sydney; these casino’s bringing in tens of millions of tourists annually in comparison to more iconic attractions like the Opera House, for instance, only attract around 8.2.

So with casino tourism starting to boom, there are a few things to consider before spending your money abroad.

Know if Tipping is Expected or Allowed

Pexels Money

When you’re traveling to another country, cultural practices are going to differ from what you’re used to at home, and it’s essential to research and plan so you don’t offend the locals and you don’t end up breaking the law.

Traveling to gamble in a casino is no different, and tipping is one area where you should conduct proper research before you go. For instance it’s illegal to tip dealers at Casinos throughout Australia, however in the United States and countries throughout Europe and Asia this is a common practice, and very much expected.

In fact, it would be considered rude, especially in the States, to not tip at least your waitress, though in Australia they will flatly refuse any chips or tips you attempt to throw their way.

Make Sure You’re Aware of the Exchange Rate

The biggest tip when spending money and traveling abroad is to be aware of the exchange rate. If you’re heading to a country like Britain and traveling from Australia, you’ll find that you’re dollar is cut in half. Where-as if traveling through countries in South America or Asia, your dollar will go much farther than you could have probably ever dreamed.

Where-ever you are, if you’re choosing to gamble, make sure you’re aware of the exchange rate. For instance spending 10 GBP is the equivalent of spending $20 AUD, so it’s very easy to get carried away and spend a lot more than you may have originally budgeted for.

That being said, the pro in this case is obviously that if you do win big, your winnings are essentially doubled when you go to exchange! Also be aware that the exchange rate fluctuates each day, and where it may be 70c to a dollar on day 1, this may rise or fall and be completely different the next. So if spending a lot of money overseas be sure to continually stay aware of the exchange rate.

Be Aware of Different Tax Laws

Money Savings RF

Just as cultural practices like tipping will vary depending on your destination, so too will laws on tax, specifically, who is legally bound to pay the casino tax, or if there is even such a thing at all.

For instance in America customers are bound to pay tax on their winnings, where-as in Australia the government taxes the casino. So if you win big in Australia you get to keep a higher percentage of your winnings (100%) than you would have if you had won the same amount in an American casino.

Practice Online Before You Play

Most hotels throughout the world now offer the perk of Free Wi-Fi, so if you’re traveling for the casinos and need to practice first, playing in an online casino is a great way to warm up your game.

If you don’t want to sit around in your hotel room all day, most bars, clubs and cafes now offer WiFi too – and there’s even a growing trend in both Australia and the States to start hooking up public internet access points at varying beaches! Paying for internet is a way of the past!

Hear about new posts on Facebook: Please click “like”!

Megan is an Australian Journalist who has been travelling and blogging since 2007, with the main aim of inspiring others to embark on their own worldwide adventure. Her husband Mike is an American travel photographer, and together they have made the world their home.

Committed to bringing you the best in adventure travel from all around the globe, there is no mountain too high, and no fete too extreme! They haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on their list.

Follow their journey on Facebook, TwitterYouTube, Pinterest and Instagram.

    12 Comments

  1. Great tips! It’s interesting to note how different customs, exchange rates, and tax laws vary between each country and impact your casino experience. I would definitely visit somewhere where my dollar goes farther! Thanks for sharing.

    • Thanks Heather – glad you enjoyed the post! Happy travels & enjoy the gaming experience as you go! :)

  2. One tip I learned when traveling abroad, is to never use the slot machines in the airport. They aren’t well regulated compared to ones in the actual casino. Thanks for writing!

    • Thanks for the tip Aaron – will update this into the post – great advice :)

  3. Practice Before You Play, if you are really interested in play, at least know the basic rules of the games or just pick the easiest game to learn, and prepare yourself to lose.

    • Absolutely John, great tips :)

  4. Interesting tips for gambling! If we know all the gambling rules, then there will be fewer chances of winning. But if we know some tips and tricks of playing, then the chances of winning will increase. Last month, I visited a website and learnt some tips about online casino games. After that, I started winning more games. Hopefully, your tips will be useful. Thanks for sharing!

    • Glad you enjoyed the post William, yes I think over time you get a sense of what the different gambling rules are and learn a couple of tips and tricks for doing well at the games. Congrats on your recent winning streak!

  5. I do not gamble with money but like to play games such as cards, roulette, dice, fruit machine, etc on gambling websites which is quite fun. Playing these games kind of heightens your awareness as it requires a lot of concentration.

    • They can definitely be a lot of fun, and yes for sure, you do learn lessons in concentration when you’re playing games like cards and dice :) Thanks for your comment :)

  6. Hi Meg, Thanks for the info. I have Two questions. Hope you can help me.
    (1)If I go on a gambling tour to Singapore , Malaysia and Hong kong and make good winnings ranging between 50 to 100 k and bring the money to Australia , Do I need to pay tax to the ATO on those winnings?
    (2) How could I take the Capital amount of $30k out of Australia in the first place?
    Thanks and Regards
    Ganesh

    • Hi Ganesh

      Thanks for reaching out. I’m not an expert on tax issues by any means, but to my knowledge, the ATO says that taxpayers can exclude betting and gambling wins from their taxable income, “unless you operate a betting or gambling business”. If you’re not running a business, and don’t gamble professionally, I would say that you would be exempt, but if you do come home with that amount of winnings, my advice would be to mention it to your accountant and seek their professional opinion.

      If you’re coming back into the country with that much in cash, you’ll definitely have to declare it – you can carry an unlimited amount of money into and out of Australia, but you have to declare cash in both AUD and foreign currency if it’s a combine value of $10,000 AUD or more.

      While you can travel with $30k in cash if you wanted to, I would advise just keeping it in your account and using your cards internationally once you get to each casino.

      Hope that helps :) Good luck!

Post a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *