Gambling in Australia

Gambling is an activity undertaken by the majority of Australians. Australians placed bets totaling $244.3 billion in 2022-23, positioning them as the world’s leading gamblers. During the same period, losses from gambling amounted to $31.5 billion.

In 2022, 72.8% of Australian adults gambled within the previous 12 months (80.5% for men and 66.2% for women) and 38% of Australian adults gambled at least once per week (48% for men and 28% for women). In 2007, Australians were estimated to lead the world with the highest gambling losses on a per-capita basis. Australians spend more on online gambling than any other country in the world.

On a per-capita basis, Australians placed gambling bets worth AUD$9,885 in financial year 2020-2021, resulting in a loss of AUD$1,200. Australians cumulatively placed bets worth AUD$198 billion in this financial year, resulting in a total loss of AUD$24 billion.

Gambling is a significant public health issue, with around 80,000 to 160,000 (or 0.5–1.0%) of Australian adults experiencing significant problems from gambling and a further 250,000 to 350,000 (or 1.4–2.1% of adults) experiencing moderate risks that may make them vulnerable to problem gambling.

Recent research shows that approximately one in three (30%) individuals aged 12 to 17 engage in gambling, increasing to nearly half (46%) among those aged 18 to 19. In Australia, teenagers both before and after turning 18 are more likely to gamble than to participate in any of the most popular sports for their age group.