Overall, the in-person gambling participation in Australia has declined, according to a new study conducted by the Australian National University's Center for Gambling Research.
The study reveals a drop in gambling rates from 65.6% (2019) to 60.3% (2024), a decrease brought about by the Covid-19 pandemics impact on in-person gambling activities.
The dip in gambling rates actually aligns with a long-term downward trend, with researchers saying that this had been the result of closing down retail venues due to the pandemic. The study involved a bigger sample size of 4,027 adults, compared to 2,054 in 2019. Participants have increasingly shifted from in-venue betting to online gambling, with 33.4% reporting they gambled online compared to 28.6% who gambled in person.
"While the participation rate dropped close to 50% of the adult population during Covid-19, this data suggests that the ‘new normal' gambling participation rate has plateaued at around 60%," the report stated.
Online gambling was indeed most popular among ages 45 to 55, who made up 20.5% of the online betting sample, including lottery betting. The 25 to 34-year-old demographic accounted for 18.7% of online gamblers.
The report emphasized that online gamblers were typically younger, with higher employment rates and incomes. Across the population, 28.5% of online gamblers hold a university degree, and 47.2% held post-school diplomas or certificates. They were most likely to be currently employed and part of a couple with children.
On the other hand, in-person bettors (or those who visit a physical gambling venue) were generally older, with 21.2% aged 65 to 74 years, and adults over 45 making up 66% of the in-person demographic. When categorized by gender, females constituted 53.8% of all in-person gambling activities and 42.1% of online gamblers.
In terms of gambling type, lottery was the most popular, played by 46.8% of those surveyed, followed by raffles (23.4%) and scratch cards (15.7%).
Even though sportsbetting is often seen as a major industry in Australia, only 4.7% of the population participated, with 94.2% of these bets placed online. Similarly, casino table games accounted for just 2.7% of the sample size's gambling activity.
Despite the overall decline in gambling participation, the study found an increase in ‘risky' gambling behaviors. The percentage of persons exhibiting problem gambling rose from 11.6% (2023) to 13.6% (2024). Risky gambling is defined using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), with a score of 1 or more indicating risky behavior.
Dr. Aino Suomi, director of the gambling research center, said:
"Online gambling has exponentially increased, and should now be considered one of the main gambling platforms. The unlimited access to online gambling has the potential to cause real harm if not properly addressed."
Responsible gambling or gambling responsibly means taking breaks, not using gambling as a main source of income, only gambling with money that you can afford to lose, and setting reasonable limits for yourself (both with money and time).
Source:
https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2024/08/02/74064-australia-study-shows-decline-in-gambling-participation-rise-in-online-betting-and-risky-behaviors
https://csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/research/publications/gambling-participation-australia-2024-trends-over-time-and-profiles-associated
