Gambling addiction is an escalating issue in many countries, including Australia. In fact, research shows that more than half of the Australian population engages in gambling activities or betting.
With the abundance and ease of access to gambling sites, it is estimated that this figure will be upwards of 60% over the coming months and years.
Gambling can be a beneficial pastime, or it can have adverse effects. This article will explore the most favorable gaming activities and weigh the advantages and disadvantages Australians experience when gambling. Keep reading to find out more!
10 Winning Facts About Gambling In Australia
- 50% of adult Aussies gamble regularly
- Averagely, Aussies use $1,260 to gamble per year
- 65.9% of Australian gamblers wagered money on eSports
- The average population of gamblers and bettors are guys
- Australia is home to over 200,000 thousand gambling and gaming machines
- In 2018-19, over 500,000 Australians wagered on sports.
- In the 2018-19 fiscal year, 1.8 million Aussies wagered on bets
- 8.6 million lottery and scratch-off tickets were purchased in 2017 and 2018.
- In 2018 and 2019, the entire betting revenue reached $225 billion.
- During the Covid-19 outbreak, the percentage of internet bettors increased to 78%.
Overall Statistics on Gambling In Australia
1. The Majority Of The Aussies Regularly Gambles Online
Current figures outlined by Roy Morgan show that Australia has 9.9 million consistent gamblers. That means that well over 50% of Aussies indulge in betting in some way which is a scary statistic.
2. The Typical Australian Spends $1,260 Yearly To Gamble
According to projections by Savings, the nation‟s betting losses in 2017 and 2018 reached $24.88 billion — implying that the typical Aussie gambler wasted $1,260.
A closer look at the numbers reveals a common narrative: Australians lost an astounding $20 billion playing poker alone, around $1,017 per person. The cost of racing was another hefty sum – totaling $3.5 billion – while sports betting took away another chunk of money, amounting to approximately $1.2 billion.
3. Almost 43% Of Aussies Participate In The Lottery
Based on Roy Morgans’s stats, an incredible number of Aussies (8.4 million) put their money in the lottery. This translates to 42.6%, while those who preferred poker machines stood at 2.4 million, which, when broken down, sums to 12%.
Sports betting was included as it also had a massive following of 2.1 million Aussies, which in percentage is 10.4% — an indication that the number of Australian gamblers is relatively high.
4. Australians Averaged $1,276 Per Person On Gaming In 2019, A Little Decrease From The Preceding Year
In 2019, Australians spent an astonishing amount of money on gaming machines – $1,048 per person! This figure was a slight increase from the previous year’s expenditure; however, spending on racing experienced a decrease from 2018 to 2019. Surprisingly, sports gambling garnered the least attention among gamblers in Australia as each individual only contributed $49 towards it compared to 2018’s $64.
5. The Gross Value Added (GVA) Of Tourist-Related Gaming Activities Was More Than $500 Million In 2020
Based on Statista findings, gambling appears to be widespread among Australia’s foreign visitors (1.8 million). The total GVA for casinos and other gambling facilities associated with tourism was $590 million in 2020.
6. 65.9% Of Gamblers Wagered Money On eSports
Based on research conducted by the VRG, the most prevalent betting practice was spending actual cash to wager on esports. The survey discovered that over 65% of participants engaged in financial eSports gambling at least once every two weeks. Furthermore, more than 90% of eSports gamblers utilized cash (95.3%) or skins or in-game currency (91.2%) to put eSPorts bets.
FIFA was the most popular eSport to wager on, with 39.8% betting actual cash on the game. COD, CSGO, and League of Legends were also prominently played by eSports gamblers, but only 1% of eSports gamblers gambled on Dota 2 and Minecraft.
Australian Gambler Statistics
7. 16% Of Aussies Start Gambling Before 18 Years
Although the legal gambling age is set at 18, betting has become increasingly frequent among adolescents in recent years. Shockingly, one out of five individuals who have an issue with compulsive gambling began placing bets before they reached their eighteenth birthday.
Moreover, 16% of teenagers ages 16-17 gambled in the past year. Notably, 20% of males and 12.5% of females under the legal drinking age were engaged in gaming for money.
8. Adults Aged 50 Or Above Are The Most Likely To Gamble In Australia
Roy Morgan reported in 2018 that betting is less enticing to youths aged 18-24 in Australia, with “just” 27.5% of the youth population participating. Adults aged 25-34 betting rate stands at 37.5%, which was relatively lower than the national average.
Nonetheless, the older generation continues to gamble: more than 60% of persons aged 50-64 gambled, while the figure in the 65+ years was comparable at 57.8%.
9. Men Are The Regular Gamblers In Australia
According to the most recent data on betting by sexuality, 54.2% of habitual bettors are male, whereas 45.8% are ladies. Given that women account for 51% of grown Aussies, it is reasonable to conclude that women gamble less frequently. More comprehensive findings support this:
- 52.8% of Australian males participated in lottery games, whereas for ladies, only 47.2%.
- In Australia, sports gambling has a superb chunk of male and minor female gamblers. Men gamble on numerous sports at 88%, whereas ladies do it at 12%.
- Additionally, men comprised 80% of horse racing gamblers, while women only comprised 19.1%.
10. Nearly Half Of All Full-Time Australians Workers Bet Regularly
- The general Australian population consists of 16% part-time employees who gamble routinely.
- On income levels, most Aussies who make $29,500 comprise 19.3% of frequent betters.
- Aussies that earn between $54,000-$73,499 consist of 20.8% frequent gamblers.
- The number of Australians who make $73,500 consist of 20.3% of frequent gamblers.
11. In 2018-19, More Than 500,000 Australian People Wagered On Sports
Roy Morgan’s research highlights 620,000 adult Aussies place sports bets frequently. The report also explains that most of these gamblers are males, with 4.9% between those aged 35-49 years.
Surprisingly, the number of race betting is outdone by sports gambling by Aussies aged 18-24. 65+-year-old Australians are more intrigued by race gambling, which dwindles their sports gambling interest to 1%.
Australia’s Gambling Industry
12. The Average Yearly Gambling Income In The Country Is Roughly $5 Billion
The betting sector in Australia is among the most profitable worldwide. The average annual income through betting is roughly $5 billion every year. Most casinos are intended to entice visitors, generating an estimated $4,900 for the Australian betting sector.
13. There Are Almost 20 Full-Service Casinos In All Australian States
A total of 14 restaurants are licensed in Australia. There are seven licensed bingo halls and four lotteries. Gambling on the most prominent sports is permissible online, but around 3,000 conventional establishments provide fixed odds and tote wagers. With a record of 350 tracks, Australia possesses the most licensed racecourses compared to other nations.
14. In 2018, There Were About 200,000 Gaming Machines In Australia
As per projections by Statista, Australia had a total of 194,322 gaming machines (EGMs) at 2,991 restaurant venues while 1800 at nightclubs.
Given that the percentage of adults in 2018 stood at 19 million, it equates to one pokie for every 100 individuals.
15. In 2018, The Australian Gaming Sector Spent More Than $270 Million On Advertising
The Australian gambling sector injected a tremendous amount of money($273.2 million) into promos and ads, a massive increase from 2011 to 2018 when they only used $89.7 million.
Horse Racing And Sport Betting
16. In 2018-19, 1.8 Million Australians Wagered Every Annual Quarter
1.8 million Aussies above 18 gambled in a 3-month timeframe in 2018 and 2019—1.2 million among those gambled on horse racing. However, race gambling is still popular among the elderly, particularly those over 50.
17. In 2019-20, Australians Gambled $21 Billion On Horse Racing
The yearly horse racing turnover highlighted by VRGF indicated that the Australian wager for 2019 and 2020 was $21 billion. This massive increase of 0.7% translates to $143 million.
However, the numbers for sports gambling were $10 billion, which signified a massive decrease of 18%, which is 2.2 billion,
Online Gambling Statistics And Facts In Australia
18. Sportsbet Is Australia’s Greatest Gambling Website
Sportsbet, an Irish business, was voted the best gambling service in Australia in 2019. Almost 45% of internet gamblers claimed they had made a wager on the platform in the previous year.
19. In 2021, 11% Of Australians Participated In Internet Gambling
The percentage of internet gamblers climbed to 11% in 2021, up from 8% the previous year. Sports gambling was on the upswing the year before, with 8% of Australians gambling on races.
Games And Poker Machines
20. The Maximum Payout On A Pub Pokie Is $10,000, But The Chances Of Winning Are Far Higher
In Australia, game consoles claim 18% of the global market. These machines deliver an unbeatable 90% payout rate, leaving players with no opportunity to outsmart the odds in their favor over time. Additionally, poker machines have been engineered to be incredibly appealing; therefore, gambling addiction is pervasive throughout the country.
21. The Appeal Of Pokies Has Dropped In The Previous Two Decades.
Even while gaming revenue increases year after year, gambling involvement has been steadily declining for some time. Poker, a national activity in Australia, best exemplifies this. The number of Aussies who use poker machines has massively dropped by half in the previous 18 years, to 2.4 million from 4.8 million.
The pattern needs to be more consistent across state and territorial limits. In 2019, for instance, 23.6% of Northern Territory inhabitants used the pokies, whereas just 5% of those in Western Australia, where playing poker outside of casinos is outlawed, did so. Both are much below the national rate of 12.6%, according to a Roy Morgan study in 2020.
22. In 2017-18, 8.4 Million Lottery And Scratch Tickets Had Been Sold In Australia
In the three years leading up to 2018, the volume of Aussies who bought a scratch or lottery ticket remained constant at 8.6 million. This figure has now been reduced to 8.4 million, although it still represents 42% of Australian adults.
According to lottery data for 2018, 7.7 million Aussies purchased a lottery ticket, like, Oz Lotto, Powerball, or other tickets, a decrease from 7.9 million in prior years. Scratch card revenue decreased to 3 million in 2016 against 2015s 3.2 million.
23. Keno Generated Over $1.3 Billion In Revenue In 2018-19
Keno is so prevalent in Australia that the country spent $350 million betting in 2018 and 2019. Residents of New South Wales wasted a lot of money, estimated to be approximately $150 million, whereas Queenslanders reportedly lost $100 million.
Gambling Costs and Social Issues
24. Four Out Of Every Five Gamblers Polled Are At Danger Of Or Experiencing Gambling-Related Damage
Gambling involvement, frequency, and data loss indicate that betting is a widespread social and economic disease.
Based on the most current betting addiction data, 79% of those polled claimed they were in danger of or had experienced gaming-related damage in 2020. One-fifth of all respondents were small-risk gamblers, 31% were medium gamblers, and 30% were gambling addicts.
25. In Australia, problem gambling has a considerable influence on family involvement ties
Problem gambling has a high societal cost. Families of bettors expressed massively deteriorated connections (96%) and anxiety and mental issues (98%).
Following a survey, those who had significant challenges with a bettor were their spouse (66%), while in most cases, it was ladies at 89%.
The mean age of such a person was 36, and 59% of those seeking assistance were below 35 years. Furthermore, betting causes family conflicts for parents, children, neighbors, and friends.
26. A Significant Gambling Issue Affects 1% Of The Australian Population
Roughly 2% of Aussies have significant gambling issues. Betting addiction also generates mental and emotional health problems, leading to the unprecedented divorce of 4.7% of all marriages in Australia. Even more concerning, over 400 Aussies die yearly due to gambling addiction. And Each day, one Aussie loses his life gambling.
27. In 2019, 45% Of Australian Internet Gamblers Reported Gambling-Related Losses
Regarding betting damage, it’s crucial to note and understand that internet betting has had a massive influence in Australia. 45% of internet bettors reported a reduction in their expenditure or assets due to online gambling. Some 18% resented doing it, whereas 30% or so said betting made them feel humiliated and disturbed.
28. The Term “Gamble Responsibly” Has Little Influence, According To The Majority Of Australians
70% of Australians feel that using the phrase doesn’t help to diminish the nation’s harmful impacts of compulsive gambling. One-fifth feel the tagline does have an impact, whereas only 3% say it is effective.
Income And Gambling Expenses
29. The Australian Government Collects Around $6 Billion In Gaming Income Each Year
The real impact of gaming on Australia’s federal budget has significantly increased during the previous decade. Total gaming income in 2018 was $6.2 billion, against $5.9 billion in the last year.
30. In 2018-19, Total Gambling Revenue Surpassed $225 Billion
Race gambling produced approximately $27 billion in 2018 and 2019, rivaling the entire revenue of all casinos in the country. On the other hand, sports gambling generated $11 billion in revenue, while gambling machines generated a stunning $153 billion in revenue.
This indicates that the ordinary Aussie contributed almost $11,500 to the nation’s betting revenue.
31. In 2018-19, The Overall Casino Spending Was $4.8 Billion
Based on the current betting statistics, the gaming industry represents the majority of betting expenditure in Australia, amounting to roughly $20 billion. During this period, overall casino expenditure totaled $4.8 billion, with gambling machine spending totaling $12.7 billion.
The overall expenditure on race gambling was $3.5 billion making it the favorite gambling activity. On the other hand, sports gambling has a reasonably small spending total of $0.9 billion.
32. New South Wales had the most prominent annual gambling turnover in 2018
In 2018, New South Wales’s betting revenue reached approximately $93 billion, making it the biggest in Australia. In contrast, Victoria had a gaming revenue of $48.8 billion in 2018, whereas Queensland’s numbers were at $37.5 billion.
Gambling Patterns And The Impact Of Covid-19
33. During The Epidemic, The Percentage Of Frequent gamblers surged
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the percentage of people who bet four or more days per week increased: 32% of respondents did so, increasing from 23% before the pandemic.
Gambling tendencies for individuals who gambled less have remained stable over the epidemic. 32% of respondents bet 2-3 days a week, up from 34% preceding, while the proportion of individuals who bet 1-2 times per month fell to 10% from 12%.
34. 78% Of All Gaming In Australia Was Done Online During The Pandemic
During the Covid-19 lockdowns, one in every 3 Aussies joined new betting internet accounts, increasing the appeal of online betting. Before the epidemic, 62% of individuals who bet did it online, but this rose to 78% during the pandemic.
Simultaneously, there was a considerable decrease in land-based gaming in Australia. Poker betting at pubs and clubs declined from 23% to 8%, whereas betting decreased from 4% -1%.
In Conclusion
Recent betting data from Australia indicate that the nation is embracing emerging worldwide gambling trends, such as eSports and virtual reality gaming.
The betting industry is exhibiting continuous growth, prompting the need for cautionary regulations to ensure that gambling doesn’t spiral out of control. Fortunately, we can trust in Australians to exercise responsible wagering as time progresses.