Gambling Research Australia’s national survey highlighted a significant rise in online gambling. This increase in digital betting stands in contrast to a slight reduction in the overall number of Australians who engage in gambling.
Study shows an increase in online gambling within Australia
The Second Comprehensive National Study of Interactive Gambling in Australia the Study This was the first extensive evaluation by government-backed researchers since 2010-2011. During the years 2019 and 2020, researchers conducted telephone interviews with over 15,000 Australians and engaged with more than 5,000 participants via online surveys to understand their gambling behaviors.
More than 17.5% of respondents admitted to engaging in online gambling, which is more than double the previous 8.1% involved in interactive betting noted in the initial study. Fascinatingly, as online gambling participation increased, general gambling numbers fell.
According to the survey, 56.9% of participants engaged in some form of gambling, which reflects a decrease compared to the 2010-2011 statistics where 64.3% of Australians were involved. The survey defines gambling as activities like lottery play, sports betting, or horse race wagering alongside casino games and slot machines.
The online lottery emerges as the most favored mode of interactive betting
The survey details participants’ preferred types of online gambling. The lottery led the list as the most common form of betting, with 10.1% of respondents partaking. Following online lotteries, betting on horse races (5.9%) and sports wagering (5.8%) were other popular choices among Australians.
Study insights show the typical online gambler is a young male, slightly more educated than the average Australian, often in a stable relationship. The convenience of placing bets through mobile apps was cited as a key factor behind the popularity of online gambling.
Online gambling consumer protection measures showing limited impact
The study uncovered that online bettors are over two times more probable to be categorized as problem gamblers compared to those who bet face-to-face. Though the government has made strides to mitigate problem gambling, especially online, current consumer protection strategies are seemingly not connecting with the target group.
Working alongside state and territory governments, the Commonwealth is rolling out the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering (NCPF). However, initiatives like allowing bettors to set deposit limits are currently only adopted by a small percentage. In the future, measures such as the NCPF may grow firmer. The survey found that more than half of online gamblers were influenced by ads to wager additional funds.
