What Australian gambling statistics reveal about a nation drawn to gambling
Australia is one of the biggest gambling spenders globally, and that’s largely due to how easy online casinos are to use. Whether Australians are on smartphones, tablets, or computers, they can place a bet on sport or spin the reels on their favourite pokies in seconds.
Many online casinos also make it simple to register, deposit, and start playing fast. You don’t always need to deal with long KYC steps just to play pokies online. Finding a no id verification withdrawal casino in Australia is often possible with a bit of research, especially if you compare sign-up requirements and withdrawal rules.
When operators streamline registration, payments, and cash-outs, gambling becomes even more accessible. Add a strong economy to that, and its clear why Australia has one of the highest gambling spends per person.
Spending Per Adult
According to the Queensland Treasury, the overall gambling turnover was $244 billion in the 2022/2023 year. It increased by 18.2% compared with 2021/2022, and it set a new record high. Out of that overall money, the loss was at $31.5 billion. This means the average gambling loss per capita was approximately $1,527 that year.
These numbers put Australia second, with the US being the only country before them in terms of per capita spending on gambling. China is right behind with Macau, the Netherlands, Canada, and the United Kingdom also there. What’s common for all these territories is online casino and betting regulation that’s in place to keep things in control.
Retail Pokies vs Online Platforms
The majority of gambling turnover and losses are in the retail casino industry. The reported increase of 167% in the online gambling sector turnover sounds big, but it’s actually only a 31% of the country's total gambling turnover. That’s because the majority of online operators are licensed only in the Northern Territory. If regulations expand, the online gambling sector will see further growth.
Also, an important fact to mention is that the majority of the turnover is coming from casino games. The annual expenditure we mentioned is split in two ways. The casino one amounts to $1,120 lost on casino games, whereas the remaining $407 are spent on sports betting.
The only challenge that needs further regulation is offshore casinos, which are popular among Australians. That market is now estimated at $3.24 billions US due to the strict local regulations that limit the number of online casino operators.
Demographics Behind the Data
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, men are more likely to participate in gambling compared to women. The largest differences in numbers are in sports betting, horse racing, and dog racing. On the other hand, when it comes to lottery, poker machines and instant scratch tickets, the numbers are closer, showing that women also regularly participate in gambling.
Regarding age differences, the same report shows that adults aged 18-44 constitute the largest share of bettors. Compared with 2015, the only groups that reduced their sports betting were those aged 45-54 and those aged 75 and older.
When it comes to device usage, given how 91% of teens in Australia have smartphones, their habits later on apply to other activities, including gambling, once they are 18 and older. That’s what accounts for the growth in online gambling in the North Territory we mentioned.
Online Gambling in Official Reports
The growth of digital gambling is steady and here to stay. The only challenge in Australia is regulation. The mobile-first approach has become a standard in the industry around the globe, and the situation is the same among Australian gamblers.
However, unlike the UK and the US, online gambling is heavily regulated in Australia. The result is the massive popularity of offshore casinos, which is causing an outflow of money from the country.
We will continue seeing an increased participation in gambling because of the ease of access. Hopefully, the local regulations will quickly follow and meet the needs of modern players.
Industry Scale: Revenue, Taxation, and Regulation
According to Responsible Wagering Australia, legal Australian operators contribute around $1.9 billion in taxes annually. These are the total numbers from different territories, as they have different gambling taxes. The challenge remains with offshore gambling activities, which have cost the local economy around estimated $3 billion over the last 5 years.
So, it’s likely that further regulation will have to evolve to ensure that the money stays in the country. Although local ISPs restrict access to certain sites, VPN tools and other methods enable Australians to gamble on offshore sites. Permitting local operators to run online casinos would be a much better solution for everyone and would keep players safe.
Problem Gambling
Australia is equipped with all the effective approaches that help people stay in control while gambling. This specifically applies to high-risk players who are known as those who spend the most money on gambling when compared to low-risk and medium-risk groups. All legal operators have the problem gambling tools on their platforms, this includes:
- Self-exclusion processes
- Daily, weekly, and monthly deposit limits
- Time limits as well as loss limits
Aside from these implemented tools, there are various agencies that not only regulate local casinos, but also offer help to those affected by problem gambling.
Are the Trends Stabilising or Escalating?
The initial COVID period saw a spike in gambling as people had limited forms of entertainment indoors. However, things are now steadier, and trends are stabilising. New players are better informed about potential gambling risks and adopt the appropriate approach and mindset from the outset.
The current regulations serve to help protect the population, but they are too restrictive, forcing players to register at offshore casinos that are less secure compared to local operators that have to adhere to the local regulations. It’s likely that we’ll see the Australian government take a more lax approach to regulating the local market and offer a better solution to players in the country who will gamble either way.
Similar to the rest of the industry, we’ll likely see an increase in numbers over time.
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