A recent study by the Australian National University’s (ANU) Centre for Gambling Research reveals that gambling prevalence rates have decreased by 8% since 2019. In 2024, the gambling participation rate fell to 60.3% from 65.6% in 2019.
Long-term decline influenced by COVID-19
Researchers attribute the decline to the long-term effects of COVID-19, which led to the closure of retail gambling venues. This latest study surveyed 4,027 adults, a significant increase from the 2,054 participants in 2019, providing a broader understanding of gambling behaviors.
Establishing a “new normal” in gambling participation
The study indicates that the gambling participation rate, which dropped to nearly 50% during the pandemic, has now stabilized at around 60%. There has been a notable shift from in-venue betting to online gambling, with 33.4% of respondents gambling online compared to 28.6% in person.
Demographic shifts in online gambling
The 45-55 age group is the largest demographic for online gambling, comprising 20.5% of online bettors, including lottery betting. The 25-34 age group follows at 18.7%. Online gamblers are generally younger, more likely to be employed full-time, and have higher incomes. A significant portion of online gamblers (28.5%) holds a university degree, and 47.2% have post-school certificates or diplomas. They are also more likely to be part of a couple with children.
Conversely, in-person gamblers are typically older, with 21.2% aged 65-74, and adults over 45 years accounting for 66.1% of this group. Females represent 53.8% of in-person gamblers and 42.1% of online gamblers.
Lottery: the most popular gambling activity
Lottery betting remains the most popular form of gambling, engaged by 46.8% of survey participants. This is followed by raffles (23.4%) and scratchcards (15.7%). Despite the prominence of sports betting in Australia, only 4.7% of the population participates, with 94.2% of these bets placed online. Casino table games are even less common, representing just 2.7% of gambling activities.
Rise in risky gambling behavior
The study also noted an increase in “risky” gambling, rising from 11.6% in 2023 to 13.7% in 2024. This term refers to individuals scoring 1 or more on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), a measure also used by the UK Gambling Commission. The proportion of individuals gambling at risky levels has now surpassed pre-COVID-19 rates, while the percentage of non-gamblers has slightly increased over the past year, consistent with the overall plateau in participation.
The ANU’s use of the PGSI highlights varying levels of gambling risk, with scores of 8 and above indicating problem gambling, 3-7 representing moderate risk, and 1-2 indicating low risk. The term “risky” encompasses all these levels, distinguishing it from “high-risk gambling.”
