Australians put $25.0 billion on the line in 2022-23, and the losses still climbed by 7.0% from the year before. But the picture changes fast by state, product, and who you are, from NSW poker machine heavyweights to online problem rates that are far higher for some groups than others. If you have ever wondered why participation looks so different across communities, you will want to see the full breakdown.
Key Takeaways
- 15.3% of males aged 25-34 participated in sports betting weekly in 2023
- Females aged 65+ had highest lottery participation at 55.2% in 2022
- Low SES groups gambled at 55% rate vs 40% high SES in 2022
- In 2022-23, Australians lost $25.0 billion to gambling, representing a 7.0% increase from the previous year
- Poker machines accounted for 50.3% of total gambling expenditure in Australia in 2022-23, totaling $12.7 billion
- Total gambling turnover in Australia reached $323.4 billion in 2022-23, up 9.3% from 2021-22
- 47.6% of Australians aged 18+ gambled in the past 12 months in 2022
- Men were more likely to gamble at 52.3% compared to women at 43.1% in 2022
- Sports betting participation reached 35% among 18-24 year olds in 2023
- 1.0% of Australian adults are problem gamblers (PGSI 8+) in 2022
- Moderate risk gamblers numbered 190,000 or 1.0% of adults in 2022
- Gambling harm affected 1.3 million Australians as primary gamblers in 2023
- Australia has 198,427 poker machines outside casinos as of 2023
- NSW licenses 94,664 gaming machines in clubs/pubs 2023
- Victoria has strict 5km venue separation rules for pokies since 2019
Australians lost $25 billion in 2022 to 2023, with poker machines driving over half the spend.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics18 stats
01
15.3% of males aged 25-34 participated in sports betting weekly in 2023
02
Females aged 65+ had highest lottery participation at 55.2% in 2022
03
Low SES groups gambled at 55% rate vs 40% high SES in 2022
04
University educated gambled less at 42% vs 52% non-tertiary in 2022
05
Unemployed gambled at 62% rate, highest employment category 2022
06
NSW residents gambled most at 51.2% participation rate 2022
07
QLD had 28% poker machine participation, highest state 2022
08
Victoria's 18-24 males sports bet at 52% rate 2023
09
SA females over 75 bingo rate 12.4% in 2022
10
Indigenous males 18-24 problem rate 12.1% in 2022
11
Migrants from non-English backgrounds gambled 48% rate 2022
12
Single parents gambled at 58% rate, high risk group 2022
13
Full-time workers weekly gambling 14.2% in 2022
14
Retirees lottery participation 48.7% in 2022
15
Metro Sydney poker machine use 32% vs 22% rural 2022
16
25-34 females online slots 11.5% participation 2023
17
High income earners sports betting 42% rate 2022
18
Disability support recipients gamble 53% rate 2022
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
Australia's gambling ecosystem is a stark portrait of vulnerability, where your weekly habit is often less a mark of free will and more a statistical prophecy written by your age, your wallet, your postcode, and the specific brand of your loneliness.
02 · Category
Economic Impact20 stats
01
In 2022-23, Australians lost $25.0 billion to gambling, representing a 7.0% increase from the previous year
02
Poker machines accounted for 50.3% of total gambling expenditure in Australia in 2022-23, totaling $12.7 billion
03
Total gambling turnover in Australia reached $323.4 billion in 2022-23, up 9.3% from 2021-22
04
Sports betting turnover grew by 24.6% to $60.8 billion in 2022-23, driven by online platforms
05
Casino gambling expenditure increased 15.2% to $3.5 billion in 2022-23 across Australia
06
Total taxes and levies from gambling in 2022-23 amounted to $6.7 billion for Australian governments
07
Gambling expenditure per adult in Australia was $1,286in 2022-23, up from $1,200 the prior year
08
New South Wales generated $878 million in gambling taxes in 2022-23 from poker machines alone
09
Victoria's gambling revenue reached $3.2 billion in 2022-23, with 45% from gaming machines
10
Queensland's gambling taxes totaled $1.1 billion in 2022-23, primarily from lotteries and gaming
11
South Australia's gambling expenditure hit $1.4 billion in 2022-23, up 10%
12
Tasmania's gaming machine revenue was $152 million in 2022-23
13
Northern Territory's casino revenue exceeded $200 million in 2022-23
14
ACT's gambling turnover was $1.2 billion in 2022-23, with taxes at $250 million
15
Online gambling expenditure surged 30% to $5.8 billion nationally in 2022-23
16
Lotteries and Keno generated $7.2 billion in expenditure in 2022-23 across Australia
17
Race betting turnover was $38.4 billion in 2022-23, a 12% rise
18
Total player losses from all forms of gambling per capita were $970in 2022-23
19
Gambling industry employed over 170,000 people directly in Australia in 2023
20
Economic contribution of gambling to GDP was estimated at 1.2% or $28 billion in 2022-23
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
Australia's gambling industry is a masterclass in national self-sabotage, where we collectively lost a staggering $25 billion last year—enough to make even a poker machine blush—while convincing ourselves that the $6.7 billion in government taxes somehow makes this a winning bet.
03 · Category
Participation Rates18 stats
01
47.6% of Australians aged 18+ gambled in the past 12 months in 2022
02
Men were more likely to gamble at 52.3% compared to women at 43.1% in 2022
03
Sports betting participation reached 35% among 18-24 year olds in 2023
04
Instant scratch tickets were gambled on by 20.1% of adults in 2022
05
Online gambling participation was 27.4% nationally in 2022
06
Poker machine gambling rate was 25.8% in 2022, highest in NSW and QLD
07
Lottery participation stood at 42.3% of adults in the past year 2022
08
Horse race betting involved 15.2% of gamblers in 2022
09
Casino table games participation was 8.7% in 2022
10
Bingo gambling rate was 4.1% among adults in 2022
11
eBetting (non-sports) participation grew to 12.3% in 2022
12
Gambling frequency: 10.3% gambled weekly in 2022
13
Low risk gambling prevalence was 28.4% in 2022
14
Risky gambling rate at 6.7%, moderate risk 2.1% in 2022 survey
15
Non-gamblers made up 52.4% of population in 2022
16
Young adults 18-24 had highest sports betting rate at 47.2% in 2023
17
Indigenous Australians gambled at 65% rate vs 46% non-Indigenous in 2022
18
Regional Australians gambled more at 51.2% vs metro 45.8% in 2022
Interpretation
Participation Rates Interpretation
Australia's national pastime appears to be a high-stakes wager on our own common sense, where nearly half the population is placing bets, our youth are being groomed for sports betting, and the odds of social harm are disturbingly high.
More related reading
04 · Category
Problem Gambling20 stats
01
1.0% of Australian adults are problem gamblers (PGSI 8+) in 2022
02
Moderate risk gamblers numbered 190,000 or 1.0% of adults in 2022
03
Gambling harm affected 1.3 million Australians as primary gamblers in 2023
04
4.1 million Australians experienced harm from another's gambling in 2023
05
Problem gambling rate among sports bettors was 7.2% in 2022
06
Poker machine problem gamblers at 2.2% of adults, highest form
07
Online gamblers had 3.8% problem rate vs 0.8% offline in 2022
08
Males had higher problem gambling rate at 1.4% vs 0.6% females in 2022
09
18-24 year olds problem rate 2.1%, highest demographic in 2022
10
Indigenous problem gambling rate 5.7% vs 0.9% non-Indigenous in 2022
11
32% of problem gamblers attempted suicide in past year 2022
12
Average problem gambler losses $20,900annually in 2023
13
75% of problem gamblers experienced financial difficulties in 2022
14
Gambling-related crime cost $1.2 billion yearly, linked to problem gambling
15
Treatment seekers numbered 45,000 in 2022, up 15%
16
Family violence linked to gambling harm in 17% of cases 2023
17
Mental health issues 3x higher among problem gamblers 2022
18
Homelessness risk 4x higher for problem gamblers in 2023
19
Job loss rate 25% among problem gamblers annually
20
Bankruptcy filings linked to gambling up 8% in 2022
Interpretation
Problem Gambling Interpretation
While the statistic of 1% of adults being problem gamblers might seem small, it's a tragically efficient minority that inflicts financial ruin, suicide attempts, and a tidal wave of harm on millions of others, proving a single gambling addiction can bankrupt both wallets and souls.
05 · Category
Regulation20 stats
01
Australia has 198,427 poker machines outside casinos as of 2023
02
NSW licenses 94,664 gaming machines in clubs/pubs 2023
03
Victoria has strict 5km venue separation rules for pokies since 2019
04
QLD mandatory carded play on pokies introduced 2024 for harm minimisation
05
Sports betting ad ban during live sports before 5pm on weekends since 2020
06
National Self-Exclusion Database registers 50,000+ users since 2018
07
Credit card ban for online gambling enforced since 2018 nationally
08
Tasmania caps pokies at 3,500 machines since 2019 reforms
09
NT maximum $1,200cash input limit per session on pokies 2023
10
ACT pre-commitment trials ongoing for gaming machines 2023
11
1,200+ gambling operators licensed by ACMA in 2023
12
$500loss limit per hour trialled in QLD clubs 2024
13
NSW harm minimisation levy funds $60m annually for research
14
Victoria's community benefit statements require $1.4b spend 2023
15
SA electronic monitoring of play mandatory since 2021
16
Federal illegal offshore wagering blocklist has 200+ sites 2023
17
Gambling help helpline calls 250,000+ yearly national average
18
Pokie venue numbers reduced 5% in VIC since 2018 caps
19
National Consumer Protection Framework updated 2023 for online betting
20
85% compliance rate for responsible gambling interactions 2023 audits
Interpretation
Regulation Interpretation
Australia's regulatory patchwork, from carded play to ad bans, feels like an earnest but comically inadequate attempt to fight a flood with a teacup, given there are nearly two hundred thousand poker machines quietly siphoning away in the background.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Min-ji Park. (2026, February 13). Australian Gambling Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/australian-gambling-statistics
MLA
Min-ji Park. "Australian Gambling Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/australian-gambling-statistics.
Chicago
Min-ji Park. 2026. "Australian Gambling Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/australian-gambling-statistics.
Sources & references
15 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level