Why Australians are allowed to gamble on one specific day a year

On a single day each year, Australians across the country pack into pubs and bars to play a coin-tossing game that is illegal the rest of the time. Footage circulating online shows thousands lining up on Anzac Day—a national holiday observed on April 25—to take part in the tradition, which dates back to the 19th century.

The game, known as two-up, is a distinctive part of Australian heritage. For most of the year, however, it is banned across much of the country because it is classified as gambling, as Australian media points out.

Yet on Anzac Day, authorities make an exception. The game is formally permitted in recognition of its wartime origins and its association with service, sacrifice and mateship.

"Gold Rush" origins

Two-up originated in the early 1800s and was popular among working-class communities in England and Ireland. It arrived in Australia with the First Fleet and spread rapidly, particularly during the gold rush era.

Australia’s gold rushes began in 1851 and continued for decades as new deposits were discovered. Unlike in many other countries, the rushes spanned vast areas of the continent. The resulting wave of migration was immense: by 1871, just 20 years after the first major discovery, Australia’s population had more than tripled from 430,000 to 1.7 million. The gold rush played a central role in transforming Australia from a British penal colony into a major modern economy.

Two-up became especially popular among Australian soldiers serving overseas, who used it as a simple way to pass the time with minimal equipment. After returning home, they brought the game with them, and it quickly became a staple in veterans’ clubs, pubs and mining communities.

Despite its popularity in licensed venues, the game remained illegal for most of the year.

Part of two-up’s appeal lies in its simplicity. It requires just two coins. A designated “spinner” tosses them into the air using a small wooden paddle known as a “kip.” Players gather in a circle—called “the ring”—and bet on whether the coins will land as two heads, two tails, or one of each.

Public holiday commemorates bitter military defeat

Anzac Day is Australia and New Zealand’s national day of remembrance, honouring those who have served and died in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. It commemorates the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War at Gallipoli, in present-day Türkiye.

When Britain declared war on Germany in 1914, following the invasion of Belgium, Australia and New Zealand followed suit and entered the conflict as Dominions within the British Empire

At dawn on April 25, 1915, around 70,000 troops began landing at Gallipoli. Their objective was to advance to Istanbul, force the Ottoman Empire out of the war, and open a supply route to Russia. Yet what had been intended as a decisive campaign quickly turned into a stalemate after the initial landings failed to achieve their objectives. Allied forces held their positions for eight months before withdrawing at the end of 1915.

Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk), who rose to prominence as a key commander during the Gallipoli campaign, would later become the founder and first president of the Republic of Türkiye in 1923.

The campaign came at a high cost for the attacking side, with approximately 8,700 Australian and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers killed.

By Nazrin Sadigova