Australian Gambling Statistics – Does Australia Lead The World?

According to global and Australian gambling statistics, Australia is the fifth-most prolific betting nation in the world. In fact, the country has an average gross gambling loss of $18.3 billion, with around two-in-five natives betting on a weekly basis.

But what are the most recent statistics on gambling in Australia, and what do they tell us about the country’s relationship with pokies, casino betting, and sports wagering? Let’s start with an overview of turnover generated by Australian pokies:

$1,120 per person lost on gaming, including $765 on the pokies

How Much Does Australia Spend on Gambling by State

Australia gambling statistics are usually published on a state-by-state basis, with all eight jurisdictions having separately regulated markets. Each state has seen marked growth during the last decade, while online gambling turnover soared by 166% to reach $244.3 billion in 2022/23.

Let’s break these gambling statistics in Australia down further, to reveal the relevant numbers for each state:

*N.B. these numbers are in $billions

Top 10 Gambling Activities in Australia?

Gambling Australia statistics also offer an insight into the most popular sports and activities among bettors. The rise of pokie machines in Australia has played a key role here, creating a strong and accessible gambling culture that generates billions each year. Here’s a summary of the most popular gambling activities in Australia.

Gambling Statistics Australia – Broken Down by Demographic

In terms of demographics, men dominate the gambling in Australia statistics. More specifically, although approximately 2 in 5 (38%) of Aussies gamble every week, this increases to 48% among males. Conversely, 28% of female bettors wager every week in Australia.

This trend was evident across all online gambling products, particularly sports, horse racing, and online pokies. As expected, males also wager more money at a much higher frequency than women, which means that they’re at a greater risk of becoming problem gamblers, too.

Australian gambling statistics show that betting remains significantly more popular in the 18-55 age demographic, across both males and females. According to data compiled in 2023, some 46% of Aussies aged 18-19 spent money on gambling during the previous months. 30% of this demographic wagered on pokies, while scratchcards (15%), online casino games (13%), and sports betting (12%) were also popular.

Male Gambling Activity in Australia

As we’ve touched on, around 48% of males gamble every week in Australia. This equates to approximately 2.8 million Aussie men aged 18 and over, with some verticals significantly more popular than others within this demographic.

For example, 56% of men wager frequently on horse racing in Australia. A further 54% of males wager regularly on online poker, while 46% engage in sports betting across a broad selection of disciplines (including football and Aussie Rules).

Among younger men (aged between 18 and 34), esports and fantasy sports are increasingly popular. Interestingly, the average age of men who wager on horse racing in Australia is 41, while this falls slightly to 39 for sports betting and online pokies.

Female Facts About Gambling in Australia

Around 28% of females bet every week in Australia, mostly on state lotteries and scratchcards. In 2023, studies also showed that 66.2% of women had engaged in at least one form of gambling during the previous 12 months.

On the topic of lotteries and scratchcards, around 73.3% of women had wagered on these products. What’s more, these combined verticals boasted the highest monthly participation among female bettors (26.7%), ahead of horse racing betting and online pokies.

A responsible gambling study of Australian gambling statistics conducted by the Victoria government in 2020 revealed that 64.4% of female bettors had engaged in three or more different gambling activities during the previous 12 months. This suggests increased participation across a wider range of verticals.

Youth Gambling Statistics in Australia

The youth gambling statistics in Australia make for interesting reading, with bettors aged between 18 and 19 among the most active online. One particularly interesting study drew analysis from 10,000 respondents aged 18 and 19, two years after an initial interview with the same cohort.

When aged 18 and 19, some 46% of the respondents admitted to gambling during the previous 12 months. The most popular activity within this age demographic was online pokies, with 30% of respondents betting on this vertical. A further 15% purchased scratchcards, while 13% wagered on online casino games.

During earlier analysis, Australian gambling statistics showed that approximately 1 in 6 (16%) of the same demographic participated in underage gambling when aged 16 and 17. Private betting was most popular among this demographic, ahead of scratchcards and sports betting markets.

What are Australia Pokies?

Online pokies in Australia generated $12 billion in turnover in 2024. Despite their name, however, pokies aren’t directly affiliated with online poker, and more commonly refer to video slots and games. These accessible games of chance have fuelled growth in the Aussie market, while creating an increasingly youthful gambling culture in the country.

How Many Pokies Machines Are There in Australia?

Pokies are available on and offline, and despite Australia being home to less than 1% of the global population, it hosts 18% of the world’s pokies and poker machines. As of June 2023, there were approximately 157,718 offline pokies in Australia, more than five times as many as in the United States. This is a surprising answer to the question “How many pokies are there in Australia?”.

Offline pokies can be found in various physical locations, including pubs, bars and casinos. However, the accessible and visually engaging nature of pokies contributes to huge losses among players, especially in New South Wales and the Northern Territory.

In NSW, for example, Australian gambling statistics showed the state’s 87,298 pokies generated $85.72 billion in turnover. However, the average annual player gambling losses per capita through these pokies totalled $986, highlighting a potential breeding ground for problem gambling.

The average annual per capita loss across all gambling verticals in Australia is $1,200, with this significantly higher than in other comparable nations.

Have Pokies Made Australia the Biggest Gamblers in the World?

As we’ve touched on, Australia is one of the highest gambling countries in the world. After all, it records an average gross gambling loss of $18.3 billion across all verticals, while boasting the highest gambling per capita losses throughout the Western world.

Pokies play a significant role in these driving losses, thanks to a combination of their accessibility and the ease with which they can be played. Incredibly, NSW features more than 87,000 machines with an equivalent of one for every 88 people. To provide context, Nevada is home to 120,000 machines and a population of 3.1 million.

Pokies also enable you to wager significant amounts within a short period, increasing the risk of sizable losses. This also intensifies the risk of gambling-related harm caused by pokies.

Gambling Addiction in Australia?

The data drawn from Australian gambling statistics in 2023 makes for interesting reading, with more than 70% of males aged between 18 and 34 at risk of experiencing gambling-related harm. This falls to 58.3% of men aged between 35 and 54, and 33% of those aged 55 and over. A similar trend can be observed among women, with problem gambling synonymous with younger bettors.

Intriguingly, the percentage of Aussies who are classed as having a gambling addiction is barely 1% of the adult population. But how is such an addiction likely to impact players over time?

How is the Government Handling Gambling Addiction in Australia?

The Gillard government in 2012 proposed a national gambling reform, which included pre-commitment systems and stricter protocols for casinos. However, this reform stopped short of imposing a $1 bet limit on pokies, which had been proposed by a 2010 Productivity Commission report in Parliament.

Further reviews have followed, with lobbyists now asking for stringent bet limits and affordability checks to be imposed (particularly online). But what formal steps have Australian governments taken to protect bettors during the last 13 years?

Gambling Losses Australia – Credit Cards Banned in Australia

As per the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, credit cards are not an eligible deposit method for online casinos. This ban includes both credit cards and payments made via digital wallets, such as PayPal.

The reason for the ban was simple, as it prevents players and those at risk of problem gambling from wagering using borrowed funds. This is similar to the credit card ban in the UK, which was imposed after an investigation into gambling-related societal harm.

However, lottery services are excluded from the ban, due to the statistically low risk of gambling-related harm that they incur.

What is the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering?

The National Consumer Protection Framework (NCPF) for online wagering includes a set of standard minimum protections for Aussies who gamble online. Conceived by officials in the Victorian Government, they’ve also been agreed to by the Australian Parliament and all its jurisdictions.

These protections cover various activities, including incentives and direct marketing, account deposit limits, account closures, activity statements, staff training, and advertising (or sponsored messaging). All licensed casinos and sportsbooks in Australia must adhere to these standards as part of their licensing agreements.

Key standards include the prohibition of credit or vouchers to online account holders. Similarly, brands cannot issue free bets unless any associated winnings can be withdrawn by the bettor. Many international brands apply strict wagering requirements to their bonuses, which prevent players from completing a withdrawal until they’ve wagered a multiple of the bonus value.

Pokies Gambling – Pokies Load Up Limits

While there has been no national move to cap pokie betting limits, some states have taken action individually. Victoria made the boldest move in 2024 as part of more sweeping gambling reforms, as it slashed its $1,000 pokie betting limit by 90%.

This means that players can now stake a maximum of $100, which is $400 less than the limit imposed in NSW. The new guideline was rolled out around 16 months after former Premier Daniel Andrews announced the changes.

Sports Betting Statistics Australia

Sports betting is incredibly popular in Australia, especially among fans of horse racing, Aussie rules, and harness racing. But what are the most interesting sports betting statistics in Australia about these disciplines?

Responsible Betting Trends & Statistics

According to the Australian Family Physician website, around 395,000 Aussies experience harm from gambling each year. In Victoria alone, the treatment of problem gamblers was thought to cost $7 billion back in 2017.

This is likely to rise incrementally given the number of younger bettors who are at-risk. So, you must be aware of the symptoms that may indicate compulsive betting, such as spending more time online or wagering outside your means. If you do feel you have a gambling problem in Australia, you may want to check out the following independent resources:

Conclusion – The Future of Gambling in Australia

While gambling addiction statistics in Australia highlight a relatively small problem, the number of younger, at-risk bettors is significant. At the same time, gambling turnover reached $244.3 billion across the whole of Australia in 2022/23, with $114.6 billion generated in NSW alone.

These online gambling statistics in Australia make for interesting reading, and there’s no doubt that states will have to balance profitability and tax revenues with increased player safeguards going forward. The state of Victoria has already taken such steps, and further, national reforms may shortly follow.

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