Aussies placed a staggering 68.5 billion dollars in bets last year, fueling a high-stakes industry that's rapidly moving online and reshaping everything from how we watch sports to the very risks we face as a nation.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the total wagering turnover in Australia reached AUD 68.5 billion, marking a 12.5% increase from the previous year.
- Sports betting accounted for 78% of total wagering turnover in Australia during FY2022, totaling AUD 53.4 billion.
- The Australian online wagering market generated AUD 5.2 billion in gross win for operators in 2023.
- 18-24 year olds represent 28% of all wagering participants in Australia.
- Males account for 72% of sports bettors in Australia according to 2022 surveys.
- 47% of Australian adults have wagered on sports in the past 12 months (2023).
- Sports betting is the most popular wagering type with 82% participation rate.
- Horse racing fixed odds bets comprise 45% of racing turnover.
- In-play/live betting accounts for 48% of all sports bets placed.
- Online wagering traffic reached 2.5 billion visits in 2022.
- 85% of sports bets now placed via mobile apps in Australia.
- Licensed online wagering operators number 32 as of 2023.
- Federal laws prohibit online wagering inducements since 2018.
- Northern Territory licenses 90% of Australia's online wagering operators.
- Point-of-consumption tax (POC) at 15% on wagering GGR since 2019.
Australia's wagering industry grew significantly, dominated by sports betting and online mobile platforms.
Online Wagering
- Online wagering traffic reached 2.5 billion visits in 2022.
- 85% of sports bets now placed via mobile apps in Australia.
- Licensed online wagering operators number 32 as of 2023.
- Offshore wagering sites accessed by 15% of punters despite bans.
- Average session time on wagering apps 22 minutes daily.
- Sportsbet app downloads exceeded 5 million in Australia by 2023.
- Live betting via apps contributes 52% of online GGR.
- Payment via PayPal/Osko instant for 68% of online deposits.
- Online wagering ad spend AUD 450 million in 2022.
- Betfair exchange turnover AUD 4.2 billion online in FY2022.
- Mobile-first wagering platforms grew user base 28% YoY.
- Geo-blocking compliance 92% effective on unlicensed sites.
- Crypto wagering deposits 4% of online transactions in 2023.
- App retention rate for wagering 45% after 30 days.
- Live dealer wagering experimental, 1% market share.
- Online multi-account users detected at 12% rate.
- Wagering app push notifications boost bets by 35%.
- 4G/5G networks handle 95% of online wagering traffic.
- Ladbrokes online turnover AUD 2.1 billion in 2022.
- PointsBet app unique markets 15,000 weekly.
- Online self-exclusion registrations up 40% to 180,000.
- VR wagering pilots tested with 2,000 users in Sydney.
- Average online bet frequency 7.2 per week per user.
- Unlicensed online wagering losses AUD 300 million annually.
- Online wagering verification via ID now mandatory 100%.
- Neds app user growth 25% to 3.2 million accounts.
- Online racing streams viewed by 75% of digital punters.
- Betting exchange online share 12% of digital market.
- Online wagering responsible gambling tools used by 22% users.
Online Wagering Interpretation
Australia has become a nation so deft at betting on its phones that the bookies now have nearly two and a half billion annual visits, yet somehow those same devices can't quite block the offshore sirens luring 15% of us, nor can we seem to swipe away from the apps for more than 22 minutes a day while being nudged to wager by push notifications.
Product and Betting Types
- Sports betting is the most popular wagering type with 82% participation rate.
- Horse racing fixed odds bets comprise 45% of racing turnover.
- In-play/live betting accounts for 48% of all sports bets placed.
- Multi-bets/parlays represent 35% of total betting volume in 2022.
- NRL betting turnover AUD 8.2 billion annually, mostly head-to-head markets.
- Exotic betting (quinella, trifecta) 22% of thoroughbred wagering.
- AFL player performance props grew 30% in popularity in 2023.
- Greyhound win/place bets 60% of total greyhound market.
- Same Game Multis (SGM) surged to 25% of NBA betting volume.
- Tote betting share declined to 28% of racing turnover in 2022.
- Tennis betting markets hit AUD 1.8 billion turnover in Australian Open 2023.
- Esports wagering turnover AUD 450 million in FY2022.
- Cricket test match betting favors top batsman markets at 18% share.
- Harness racing all-up bets prohibited but alternatives 15% volume.
- Novelty bets (e.g., celebrity outcomes) 2% of total but growing 40% YoY.
- Boxing/MMA futures bets AUD 320 million pre-UFC events.
- Soccer (A-League) goalscorer props 12% of match betting.
- Virtual sports betting simulated races 5% of online volume.
- Golf major tournaments betting AUD 900 million turnover yearly.
- NBA same-game multis 28% of basketball wagering in 2023.
- Rugby league try-scorer markets 22% of NRL game bets.
- Lottery-linked wagering products 3% market penetration.
- Live streaming integrated bets 42% higher engagement rate.
- Fixed price win bets dominant at 55% for thoroughbreds.
- Politics/election betting AUD 150 million in 2022 federal election.
- eSports LoL Worlds betting peaked at AUD 120 million.
- Harness placegetters (top 3) 18% of bets placed.
- Online wagering platforms offer 50,000+ markets daily.
Product and Betting Types Interpretation
The Australian punter, in a relentless quest to outsmart both the odds and their own attention span, has engineered a financial ecosystem where sports dominate but complexity thrives, with parlays and in-play bets serving as the main characters in a story where even novelty wagers are elbowing for a subplot.
Regulatory and Legal Framework
- Federal laws prohibit online wagering inducements since 2018.
- Northern Territory licenses 90% of Australia's online wagering operators.
- Point-of-consumption tax (POC) at 15% on wagering GGR since 2019.
- National Self-Exclusion Register (BetStop) launched Oct 2023 with 15,000 signups.
- Advertising Code bans inducements during live sports broadcasts.
- Credit card ban for online wagering effective Oct 2023.
- ACMA blocked 1,800 illegal offshore wagering sites in 2022.
- Mandatory pre-commitment trials in ACT wagering venues.
- Whistle-to-whistle ad ban during sports from 5pm- midnight.
- Operator levy funds AUD 20 million for harm minimization yearly.
- Money laundering reporting threshold AUD 1,000 for wagering.
- State-based racing integrity commissions oversee 95% turnover.
- Loss limits trialed at AUD 1,000/month for online in QLD.
- Bonus bet caps at AUD 200 per customer per operator.
- Independent regulator proposed for wagering industry in 2024.
- Mandatory carded entry for high-roller wagering lounges.
- Anti-matching fixing code signed by 45 wagering firms.
- Tax evasion fines up to AUD 1.1 million for operators.
- Consumer protection laws require 3-second bet delay confirmation.
- VIC wagering license fees AUD 1.2 million annually for majors.
- National framework review recommends deposit limits AUD 5,000/month.
- Illegal inducement penalties AUD 555,000 per breach.
- SA introduces wagering venue capacity limits post-COVID.
- Federal interactive gambling act amended 25 times since 2001.
Regulatory and Legal Framework Interpretation
Australia has masterfully choreographed a complex, high-stakes tango between reining in its sprawling online betting industry with stern regulations and still reaping the fiscal rewards from its concentrated Northern Territory hub.
Revenue and Market Size
- In 2022, the total wagering turnover in Australia reached AUD 68.5 billion, marking a 12.5% increase from the previous year.
- Sports betting accounted for 78% of total wagering turnover in Australia during FY2022, totaling AUD 53.4 billion.
- The Australian online wagering market generated AUD 5.2 billion in gross win for operators in 2023.
- TABcorp Holdings reported wagering revenue of AUD 3.8 billion for the 2022 financial year.
- Racing wagering turnover grew by 8.7% to AUD 45.2 billion in Australia in 2022.
- Fixed odds betting turnover increased by 15% to AUD 28.9 billion in FY2022.
- Total gross gambling revenue (GGR) from wagering was AUD 4.1 billion in 2021-22.
- New South Wales contributed 42% of national wagering turnover at AUD 28.8 billion in 2022.
- The wagering industry's economic contribution to GDP was AUD 7.5 billion in 2023 estimates.
- Corporate bookmakers' market share in wagering reached 65% in 2022.
- Annual wagering tax revenue for Australian governments was AUD 1.2 billion in FY2022.
- Greyhound racing wagering turnover hit AUD 4.3 billion in 2022.
- Harness racing contributed AUD 6.1 billion to wagering turnover nationally in 2022.
- Thoroughbred racing wagering was AUD 34.8 billion in FY2022.
- Online sports betting revenue grew 22% YoY to AUD 2.9 billion in 2023.
- Total punter losses on wagering reached AUD 4.5 billion in 2022.
- Victorian wagering turnover was AUD 15.2 billion in 2022.
- Queensland's share of wagering GGR was AUD 850 million in FY2022.
- Sportsbet's revenue from wagering operations was AUD 1.4 billion in 2022.
- Bet365 Australia's wagering turnover exceeded AUD 10 billion in 2023.
- Wagering market projected to reach AUD 80 billion turnover by 2025.
- Point-to-point betting apps handled 40% of wagering volume in 2022.
- Corporate wagering GGR up 18% to AUD 3.2 billion in 2022.
- Total betting agency turnover AUD 12.5 billion in FY2022.
- AFL/NRL betting contributed AUD 15.6 billion to turnover in 2022.
- International wagering operators captured 25% market share in 2023.
- Wagering employment supported 25,000 jobs in Australia in 2022.
- Export wagering services revenue AUD 450 million in 2022.
- Mobile wagering apps generated 55% of total revenue in 2023.
- In-play betting turnover AUD 22.4 billion in FY2022.
Revenue and Market Size Interpretation
Despite injecting a whopping AUD 7.5 billion into the GDP, the nation's AUD 68.5 billion wagering habit proves that Australia's favorite sport isn't football or racing, but the statistically certain game of hoping today's bet will be the one that finally beats the house.
User Demographics and Participation
- 18-24 year olds represent 28% of all wagering participants in Australia.
- Males account for 72% of sports bettors in Australia according to 2022 surveys.
- 47% of Australian adults have wagered on sports in the past 12 months (2023).
- Average weekly wagering spend per regular bettor is AUD 85 in 2022.
- 15% of Australians aged 16+ participated in online wagering in 2021.
- Indigenous Australians wager at 2.5 times the national average rate.
- 32% of Gen Z Australians have a wagering account.
- Low-income households (<AUD 30k) spend 3.2% of income on wagering.
- 61% of male sports fans aged 18-34 bet weekly on games.
- Regional Australians participate in wagering at 22% higher rate than urban.
- 8.5 million Australians aged 18+ have placed a sports bet in past year.
- Females now 38% of online wagering users, up from 25% in 2018.
- Problem gamblers represent 6.1% of regular wagering participants.
- 25-34 age group has highest wagering frequency at 4.2 bets/week.
- University-educated bettors wager 15% more than non-tertiary.
- 42% of NRL fans and 55% of AFL fans have bet on their team.
- Migrants from non-English backgrounds wager 18% less than average.
- Self-excluded wagering users number 250,000 as of 2023.
- Weekend wagering peaks with 65% of weekly volume on Sat-Sun.
- 19% of high school students aged 16-17 have wagered online.
- Retirees (65+) account for 12% of wagering expenditure.
- Casual bettors (1-2 bets/month) make up 55% of participants.
- 68% of bettors use smartphones exclusively for wagering.
- NSW residents have highest per capita wagering spend at AUD 650/year.
- 29% of tradespeople wager weekly compared to 14% professionals.
- LGBTQ+ Australians report 1.8x higher gambling participation.
- Average bet size for recreational punters is AUD 45.
- Thoroughbred racing attracts 62% male, 38% female bettors.
- Sportsbet users average age 32 years in 2023.
User Demographics and Participation Interpretation
While Australia's love affair with the punt is shockingly widespread and worryingly normalized, the portrait of a nation increasingly betting its shirts reveals a starkly unequal landscape where the young, the male, the regional, and the vulnerable are shouldering a disproportionate burden of risk for the industry's gain.
Sources & References
- Reference 1AGRICULTUREagriculture.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 2QGSOqgso.qld.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 3STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 4TABCORPtabcorp.com.auVisit source
- Reference 5RESPONSIBLEWAGERINGresponsiblewagering.org.auVisit source
- Reference 6ACMAacma.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 7GOVERNMENTgovernment.net.auVisit source
- Reference 8LIQUORANDGAMINGliquorandgaming.nsw.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 9IBISWORLDibisworld.comVisit source
- Reference 10H2GAMBLINGCAPITALh2gamblingcapital.comVisit source
- Reference 11TREASURYtreasury.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 12GREYHOUNDRACINGgreyhoundracing.vic.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 13HARNESSharness.org.auVisit source
- Reference 14RACINGAUSTRALIAracingaustralia.horseVisit source
- Reference 15ABCabc.net.auVisit source
- Reference 16VGABCvgabc.vic.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 17FLUTTERflutter.comVisit source
- Reference 18GAMBLINGCOMMISSIONgamblingcommission.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 19PWCpwc.com.auVisit source
- Reference 20RESPONSIBLEWAGERINGAUSTRALIAresponsiblewageringaustralia.org.auVisit source
- Reference 21BUSINESSbusiness.qld.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 22SPORTINTEGRITYsportintegrity.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 23H2GCh2gc.comVisit source
- Reference 24JOBSANDSKILLSjobsandskills.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 25DFATdfat.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 26SENSORTOWERsensortower.comVisit source
- Reference 27ESSENDONFCessendonfc.com.auVisit source
- Reference 28AIHWaihw.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 29GAMBLINGHELPONLINEgamblinghelponline.org.auVisit source
- Reference 30YOUGOVyougov.com.auVisit source
- Reference 31AIFSaifs.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 32ROYALBANKSAroyalbanksa.com.auVisit source
- Reference 33PRODUCTIVITYproductivity.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 34NIELSENnielsen.comVisit source
- Reference 35CRCGAMBLINGcrcgambling.com.auVisit source
- Reference 36SPORTAUSsportaus.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 37GAMBLINGRESEARCHgamblingresearch.org.auVisit source
- Reference 38ANZanz.com.auVisit source
- Reference 39ABSabs.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 40AFLafl.com.auVisit source
- Reference 41MCAmca.org.auVisit source
- Reference 42BETSTOPbetstop.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 43TABtab.com.auVisit source
- Reference 44HEALTHhealth.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 45GALLUPgallup.com.auVisit source
- Reference 46KANTARkantar.comVisit source
- Reference 47OLGolg.nsw.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 48WORKERCONNECTworkerconnect.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 49WELLBEINGwellbeing.org.auVisit source
- Reference 50PUNTERSpunters.com.auVisit source
- Reference 51SPORTSBETsportsbet.com.auVisit source
- Reference 52NRLnrl.comVisit source
- Reference 53PRIZEMONEYprizemoney.com.auVisit source
- Reference 54GREYHOUNDRACINGNSWgreyhoundracingnsw.com.auVisit source
- Reference 55NBAnba.com.auVisit source
- Reference 56AUSOPENausopen.comVisit source
- Reference 57ESPORTSAUSTRALIAesportsaustralia.orgVisit source
- Reference 58CRICKETcricket.com.auVisit source
- Reference 59BOOKMAKERbookmaker.com.auVisit source
- Reference 60UFCufc.com.auVisit source
- Reference 61ALEAGUEaleague.com.auVisit source
- Reference 62PLAYVIRTUALSPORTSplayvirtualsports.comVisit source
- Reference 63PGApga.org.auVisit source
- Reference 64RLWC2021rlwc2021.comVisit source
- Reference 65TATTERSALLStattersalls.com.auVisit source
- Reference 66BETRbetr.com.auVisit source
- Reference 67RISArisa.com.auVisit source
- Reference 68LOLlol.fandom.comVisit source
- Reference 69HRNSWhrnsw.com.auVisit source
- Reference 70LADBROKESladbrokes.com.auVisit source
- Reference 71SEMRUSHsemrush.comVisit source
- Reference 72APPFIGURESappfigures.comVisit source
- Reference 73APPSFLYERappsflyer.comVisit source
- Reference 74ADJUSTadjust.comVisit source
- Reference 75AFTERPAYafterpay.comVisit source
- Reference 76ADNEWSadnews.com.auVisit source
- Reference 77BETFAIRbetfair.com.auVisit source
- Reference 78SIMILARWEBsimilarweb.comVisit source
- Reference 79COMMUNICATIONScommunications.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 80COINSPOTcoinspot.com.auVisit source
- Reference 81LOCALYTICSlocalytics.comVisit source
- Reference 82EVOLUTIONevolution.comVisit source
- Reference 83BRAZEbraze.comVisit source
- Reference 84NBNCOnbnco.com.auVisit source
- Reference 85ENTAINPLCentainplc.comVisit source
- Reference 86POINTSBETpointsbet.com.auVisit source
- Reference 87THEAGEtheage.com.auVisit source
- Reference 88MIXPANELmixpanel.comVisit source
- Reference 89IDCAREidcare.org.auVisit source
- Reference 90NEDSneds.com.auVisit source
- Reference 91RACINGracing.comVisit source
- Reference 92LEGISLATIONlegislation.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 93NTnt.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 94REVENUErevenue.nsw.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 95ABACabac.org.auVisit source
- Reference 96GAMBLINGgambling.act.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 97INFRASTRUCTUREinfrastructure.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 98SERVICESAUSTRALIAservicesaustralia.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 99AUAUauau.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 100RACINGINTEGRITYracingintegrity.vic.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 101QLDqld.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 102CONSUMERconsumer.nsw.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 103ATOato.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 104ACCCaccc.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 105DSSdss.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 106GAMBLINGgambling.sa.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 107APHaph.gov.auVisit source