With staggering revenues pouring in from nearly $300 billion in annual gambling turnover, Australia's complex relationship with betting reveals an industry of immense scale and profound social impact, as shown by the latest data.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022-23, Australia's total gambling turnover reached $300.4 billion
- Gross gambling revenue (GGR) for Australia in 2022-23 was $27.4 billion
- Gaming machine turnover in Australia for 2022-23 totalled $100.2 billion
- 47.7% of Australians aged 18+ gambled in the past 12 months (2022)
- Past year gambling participation rate declined from 63% in 2015 to 47% in 2022
- 25.2% of Australians participated in sports betting in 2022
- 1.1 million Australians classified as problem gamblers (2022)
- Problem gambling prevalence 4.8% of adult population 2022
- Moderate risk gamblers 10.2% or 1.9 million adults 2022
- 38% of population aged 18-24 are male sports bettors 2022
- Pokie players predominantly female 60% over 50 years old 2022
- Sports betting dominated by males 80% aged 18-34 2022
- Australia has 198,440 gaming machines in 6,867 venues (2022-23)
- NSW regulates 92,000 pokies in 3,637 pubs/clubs (2023)
- Victoria 17 states cap gaming machines at 200 per venue
Australia's immense gambling industry generates billions in revenue while causing widespread harm to citizens.
Demographics
138% of population aged 18-24 are male sports bettors 2022
Verified2Pokie players predominantly female 60% over 50 years old 2022
Verified3Sports betting dominated by males 80% aged 18-34 2022
Verified4Lottery players evenly split gender, skew older 55+ 40% 2022
Directional5Low SES groups over-represented in pokies 35% participation 2022
Single source6Indigenous Australians gamble at 2x rate of non-Indigenous 60% vs 30% 2022
Verified7Regional/rural gamblers 25% higher participation than urban 2022
Verified818-24 year olds 47% gamble, highest sports betting 35% 2022
Verified965+ age group 30% participation, mainly lotteries 2022
Directional10University educated less likely to gamble 40% vs 55% non-uni 2022
Single source11Unemployed gamble at 65% rate 2022
Verified12Single parents PG vulnerability high 15% rate 2022
Verified13Migrants from Asia higher online gambling 12% 2022
Verified14Baby boomers 50-64 pokies 20% participation 2022
Directional15Gen Z weekly betting 12% males 2022
Single source16Lower income <$50k gamble more pokies 25% 2022
Verified17Disability support recipients 70% gamble rate 2022
Verified18QLD residents highest pokies play 22% 2022
Verified19NSW sports betting highest 30% participation 2022
Directional20Victoria metro pokies high density affects demographics 2022
Single source2155% of sports bettors use apps daily under 35 2022
Verified22Women over 50 comprise 70% of venue pokie players 2022
Verified23VET qualified higher gambling 58% vs uni 42% 2022
Verified24Full-time workers 50% participation, casuals 60% 2022
DirectionalDemographics Interpretation
Australia's gambling landscape is a grimly efficient machine, finely tuned to exploit the young man's ego with a sports app, the older woman's solitude at the pokies, and the desperation found in poverty, unemployment, and social disadvantage.
Economic Impact
1In 2022-23, Australia's total gambling turnover reached $300.4 billion
Verified2Gross gambling revenue (GGR) for Australia in 2022-23 was $27.4 billion
Verified3Gaming machine turnover in Australia for 2022-23 totalled $100.2 billion
Verified4Total gambling taxes paid by industry in 2022-23 amounted to $6.5 billion
Directional5New South Wales gaming machine revenue in 2022-23 was $3.9 billion
Single source6Victoria's gambling expenditure in 2022-23 stood at $8.2 billion
Verified7Queensland casino revenue for 2022-23 was $1.1 billion
Verified8Total sports betting turnover in Australia 2022-23 was $9.8 billion
Verified9Australian gambling market size projected to reach AUD 32 billion by 2027
Directional10Lotteries and Keno turnover in 2022-23 was $7.5 billion
Single source11Race betting turnover nationally in 2022-23 hit $6.4 billion
Verified12Tasmania's gaming revenue contribution to state budget 2022-23 was $140 million
Verified13Northern Territory casino GGR 2022-23 was $250 million
Verified14Total bingo turnover Australia 2022-23 was $120 million
Directional15South Australia gambling taxes 2022-23 totalled $450 million
Single source16Western Australia non-casino gaming revenue 2022-23 was $80 million
Verified17Online gambling revenue growth 2022-23 was 12.5%
Verified18Clubs sector gaming revenue NSW 2022-23 $2.8 billion
Verified19Hotels gaming revenue Victoria 2022-23 $1.2 billion
Directional20Crown Melbourne GGR 2022-23 $1.5 billion
Single source21Tabcorp racing turnover 2022-23 $4.2 billion
Verified22Gambling advertising spend 2022 $450 million
Verified23Per capita gambling loss Australia 2022-23 $850
Verified24Gaming machine losses NSW clubs/hotels 2022-23 $3.2 billion
Directional25Total expenditure on pokies Australia 2022-23 $14.1 billion
Single source26Sports wagering GGR 2022-23 $1.3 billion
Verified27Casino table games turnover $12.5 billion 2022-23
Verified28ACT gambling revenue 2022-23 $250 million
Verified29Employment in gambling industry ~250,000 jobs 2023
Directional30Gambling contributes 0.8% to Australia GDP 2022
Single sourceEconomic Impact Interpretation
Even as the pokies' relentless churn of a hundred billion dollars sounds like a national nervous tic, the sobering truth is that Australians lost over fourteen billion on them last year, funding a quarter-million jobs in an industry that vacuums up nearly a thousand dollars from every citizen while contributing less than one percent to our actual wealth.
Player Participation
147.7% of Australians aged 18+ gambled in the past 12 months (2022)
Verified2Past year gambling participation rate declined from 63% in 2015 to 47% in 2022
Verified325.2% of Australians participated in sports betting in 2022
Verified4Pokies/gaming machines played by 17.8% of adults past year 2022
Directional5Lottery participation rate 37.4% in 2022
Single source6Horse race betting engaged 12.5% of population 2022
Verified7Casino table games participation 4.2% past year 2022
Verified8Online gambling participation rose to 28% in 2022 from 20% in 2019
Verified9Males gambling rate 51.2% vs females 44.3% in 2022
Directional10Young adults 18-24 gambling participation 55.6% 2022
Single source11Weekly gamblers make up 6.8% of adult population 2022
Verified12Instant scratch lottery participation 15.3% 2022
Verified13Bingo played by 3.7% past year 2022
Verified14Keno participation 4.1% in 2022 survey
Directional15Greyhound betting 2.8% participation 2022
Single source16Esports betting emerging at 1.2% among 18-34s 2022
Verified17Non-gamblers increased to 52.3% in 2022
Verified18Multiple gambling forms participated by 30% of gamblers 2022
Verified19Sports betting weekly among males 15-20% 2022
Directional20Regional gambling participation higher at 52% vs metro 46% 2022
Single source21Indigenous participation rate 60% vs non 47% 2022
Verified22Average sessions per year for pokie players 25 in 2022
Verified23Online slots played by 8% of adults 2022
Verified24Casino visits average 2.1 per gambler 2022
DirectionalPlayer Participation Interpretation
While the percentage of Australians gambling has fallen to a coin-flip's chance of 47.7%, the nation's habit is far from kicked, having simply migrated online and doubled down on sports betting, with young men leading the statistically risky charge.
Problem Gambling Rates
11.1 million Australians classified as problem gamblers (2022)
Verified2Problem gambling prevalence 4.8% of adult population 2022
Verified3Moderate risk gamblers 10.2% or 1.9 million adults 2022
Verified40.5% low risk gamblers at risk of harm 2022
Directional5Pokies responsible for 50% of problem gambling cases 2022
Single source6Sports betting problem gambling rate 8.5% among bettors 2022
Verified7Annual cost of gambling harm $7 billion in Australia 2022
Verified841% of problem gamblers female, higher for pokies 2022
Verified9Youth problem gambling 5.2% aged 16-24 2022
Directional10Online gamblers problem rate 12% vs 5% offline 2022
Single source11Suicide linked to gambling in 8.5% of cases 2022 study
Verified12Treatment seekers up 20% post-COVID to 45,000 annually 2022
Verified13Family impacts from PG affect 200,000 households 2022
Verified14Crime costs from PG $1.2 billion yearly 2022
Directional15Bankruptcy filings linked to gambling 10% 2022
Single source16Indigenous PG rate 17% vs 5% non-Indigenous 2022
Verified17Mental health comorbidity 75% in PG cases 2022
Verified18Average PG debt $20,000 per person 2022
Verified19Helpline calls 250,000 annually 2022-23
Directional20Relapse rate post-treatment 60% within year 2022
Single source21Females PG treatment uptake 55% 2022
Verified22Sports bettors PG 15x higher than average 2022
Verified23Regional PG rate 6.2% vs metro 4.2% 2022
Verified2425-30% of PG are daily gamblers 2022
Directional25Youth exposure to betting ads correlates with 20% higher PG risk
Single sourceProblem Gambling Rates Interpretation
While these statistics coldly quantify a national crisis as 1.1 million problem gamblers and a $7 billion annual cost, they are ultimately a ledger of human anguish, where the relentless spin of a pokie machine or a targeted sports ad can quietly unravel lives, families, and futures with a devastating and often tragic finality.
Regulation Policy Expenditure
1Australia has 198,440 gaming machines in 6,867 venues (2022-23)
Verified2NSW regulates 92,000 pokies in 3,637 pubs/clubs (2023)
Verified3Victoria 17 states cap gaming machines at 200 per venue
Verified4QLD has 47,933 gaming machines across 1,366 sites (2022-23)
Directional5SA venue cap 12 machines per hotel implemented 2021
Single source6WA no private pokies, only casino and Skipper's Cove
Verified7TAS cashless gaming mandatory from 2022 rollout
Verified8NT 1,400 machines in pubs, no cap per venue 2023
Verified9ACT 5,600 machines in 164 venues regulated by ACT Gambling
Directional10National Consumer Protection Framework bans credit cards online 2018
Single source11Pre-commitment trials in TAS failed uptake <1% 2022
Verified12NSW point-of-consumption tax on online betting 8% from 2019
Verified13VIC mandatory carded play in 4 trial venues 2023
Verified14Federal ban on gambling ads during live sports daytime 2023
Directional15Loss limits online $1,000/month QLD trial 2023
Single source1670% of states have harm minimisation levies on operators
Verified17Self-exclusion registers national linkage proposed 2023
Verified18Average tax rate on pokies 45% across states 2022-23
Verified19Illegal offshore betting losses $1 billion annually estimated 2023
Directional20350+ licensed online bookmakers under Commonwealth 2023
Single source21Venue expenditure monitored quarterly via AGS since 1990
Verified22Supermarket betting terminals banned TAS/NT 2022
Verified23Max bet limits $5 pokies QLD/NT/ACT 2023
Verified24Community benefit funds from gambling $1.2 billion yearly 2022-23
Directional25Online wagering license fees $200k+ annually per operator
Single source26Pokies expenditure per machine $500k/year national avg 2022-23
Verified27Online slots complaints to ACMA 10,000+ yearly 2023
VerifiedRegulation Policy Expenditure Interpretation
Australia's gambling landscape is a contradictory tapestry of near-ubiquitous, highly lucrative pokies and a patchwork of well-intentioned but often struggling harm reduction policies, all held together by billions in tax revenue and community funding.
Sources & References
- Reference 1QGSOqgso.qld.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 2VCGLRvcglr.vic.gov.auVisit source
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- Reference 4GAMBLINGgambling.tas.gov.auVisit source
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- Reference 8TABCORPtabcorp.com.auVisit source
- Reference 9COMMERCIALISATIONcommercialisation.com.auVisit source
- Reference 10GAMBLINGACTgamblingact.gov.auVisit source
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- Reference 21NTnt.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 22DFATdfat.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 23REVENUErevenue.nsw.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 24INFRASTRUCTUREinfrastructure.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 25OLGRolgr.qld.gov.auVisit source