Australian Online Gambling Levels Remain at Post-Pandemic High
Recent studies reveal a growing number of Australians are engaging in online gambling and engaging in “risky” behavior.
Gambling levels in Australia remain high following COVID-19 pandemic.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The Australian National University’s Centre for Gambling Research found that gambling levels remain high following a spike after the pandemic. Dr. Aino Suomi, the center’s director, said that the “new normal” for gambling participation, including lotteries, has stabilized at approximately 60%. This is an increase from about 50% of adults who gambled during the COVID-19 shutdowns.
The ANU study noted a slight decline in participants over the last year, from 61.3% to 60.3%. Prior to the pandemic, the rate was around 65.6%. However, those engaging in risky gambling rose from 11.6% last year to 13.6% in 2024. This information follows research from the Alliance for Gambling Reform that shows 1 in 10 Australians have gambling problems.
Online Gambling Rates “Exponentially Increased”
The survey also highlighted a significant rise in online gambling, with 33.4% of respondents placing bets on these platforms in the past year. Sports and racing bets dominated online gambling activities, according to the report.
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.
The data collected from April 2019 to January 2024 also revealed the broader impact of gambling. A separate report based on the same data indicated that about 1.2 million adults were personally affected by another person’s gambling in the past year.
Suomi explained that those affected by someone else’s gambling were generally “younger (18-24), earning a lower income, experiencing problems related to their own gambling and dealing with loneliness or psychological distress”.
Related: Australian National University Finds Gamer Teens More Likely to Gamble
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Calls for Gambling Reform
There is growing pressure on the Albanese government to implement stronger gambling reforms. Criticism has mounted among crossbench members and advocates due to delays in enacting reforms suggested by a parliamentary committee chaired by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy.
The Murphy report recommended a phased, comprehensive ban on online gambling advertising within three years. The first phase would ban inducements on social media and online platforms and ads during school drop-off and pick-up times. The following stages would prohibit online gambling adverts, commentary on odds during and an hour before and after a sports event broadcast, adverts on uniforms, and in stadiums. Further bans would include broadcast ads between 6 am and 10 pm, culminating in a complete ban on all online gambling advertising and sponsorship.
Although the government has not dismissed the committee’s recommendations, it has yet to commit to a definitive action plan. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has repeatedly stated that the government is considering the best course of action and would “announce a comprehensive response to the parliamentary inquiry in due course.”
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