Australia as a Gambling Nation
Australia is, by most measures, the world's highest per-capita gambling nation. Total gambling turnover reached $244.3 billion in 2022–23 — an 18.2% increase year-on-year — while net player losses hit $31.5 billion. According to the QGSO's 40th edition of Australian Gambling Statistics, the average adult Australian lost $1,555 to gambling that year, up from $1,461 the prior year — an 11.5% increase. To put that in perspective, Australians spent more on gambling than the Federal Government spent on aged care.
The gambling industry is the product of deliberate policy choices made over the past four decades. Australia liberalised electronic gaming machine access to pubs and clubs in the early 1990s, licenced corporate bookmakers through the Northern Territory in the 2000s, and permitted the growth of mobile sports betting through the 2010s. Each of these decisions created new revenue streams for governments and new products for a population already culturally predisposed to wagering — and each has been associated with measurable increases in gambling harm.
The current landscape is one of structural contradiction: state governments collected $9.4 billion in gambling taxes in 2023–24 — yet fund harm minimisation programs at a fraction of that level. Queensland, for instance, collected $1.9 billion in gambling taxes but spent just 0.6% of it on harm reduction. The system is financially dependent on a behaviour it simultaneously regulates against.
Gambling Expenditure by Product
Electronic gaming machines (pokies) remain the single largest product by player losses, though their share has been declining gradually as sports betting and online gambling grow. The following data is drawn from the QGSO 40th Edition (2023–24) and supplementary state regulator publications.
| Product | Est. Player Losses | Market Share | Turnover | YoY Trend | Primary Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EGMs (Pokies) | ~$16.5B | ~52% | ~$150B | ↑ Growing (NSW +8% in 2025) | Full EGM data → |
| Racing (Wagering) | ~$5.2B | ~16.5% | ~$48B | ↔ Stable | Sports Betting page → |
| Sports Betting | ~$2.3B | ~7.3% | ~$27B | ↑ Growing rapidly | Sports Betting page → |
| Lotteries | ~$4.2B | ~13.3% | N/A | ↑ Growing (FY24: $4B revenue) | Lottery section → |
| Casino (Table + EGM) | ~$2.8B | ~8.9% | N/A | ↔ Recovering post-COVID | Casino page → |
| Keno | ~$0.8B | ~2.5% | N/A | ↔ Stable | QGSO / State regulators |
Sources: QGSO 40th Edition 2023–24; AIHW Gambling 2025. Player losses and market share are approximate; turnover figures include total amount wagered before payouts.
Share of player losses by product, 2023–24 estimates.
Total gambling expenditure (net losses) AUD billions, 2015–16 to 2022–23. Source: QGSO.
Participation Rates by Product
Gambling participation in Australia is measured through prevalence surveys — most authoritatively the ANU POLIS ANUpoll series, which has tracked gambling behaviour annually since 2019. The 2025 wave (n=3,387) confirmed overall participation of 58.8% of Australian adults in the past 12 months — a slight decline from 65.6% in 2019, continuing a long-term downward trend in participation even as total losses grow.
Lotteries remain the gateway product — the most widely used form of gambling in Australia by a considerable margin, largely because they are low-frequency, low-stakes, and widely available at supermarkets and service stations. The participation drop-off between lotteries and the next most popular products (scratch tickets, pokies) is substantial.
% of Australian adults participating by product in past 12 months (2024 AGRC survey / ANU POLIS). Source: iGaming Business / AGRC 2024.
The Online Shift
The most significant structural change in Australian gambling over the past decade has been the shift from venue-based to online participation. ANU POLIS found that 56.1% of gamblers mainly participated online in 2025 — the first time online had crossed the 50% threshold in the survey's history. Online gambling turnover grew 165.7% year-on-year to $75.4 billion in 2022–23, reaching 31% of all gambling activity.
Online vs venue-based participation share among Australian gamblers, 2019–2025. Source: ANU POLIS 2025; AIHW 2025.
| Product | Online Share (2024–25) | Trend | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports betting | 95.6% | ↑ Accelerating | Almost entirely digital; TAB retail declining |
| Race betting | 76.9% | ↑ Growing | TAB retail still significant but losing share year-on-year |
| Lottery / Scratch tickets | ~35% | ↑ Growing | The Lott digital channel; Jumbo Interactive reseller growth |
| Pokies (EGMs) | Illegal to offer online | ↑ Offshore usage growing | Offshore platforms outside IGA reach; significant grey market |
| Casino games | Illegal to offer online | ↑ Offshore usage growing | Est. USD $462.7M online casino market (2024) — all offshore |
| Keno | ~25% | ↑ Growing slowly | Still predominantly venue-based; The Lottery Corporation online Keno |
Sources: ANU POLIS 2025; Grand View Research; QGSO 40th Edition.
Demographic Profile of Australian Gamblers
Australian gambling data consistently reveals significant variation in behaviour, risk and harm across gender, age, income, and geographic lines. The following data is drawn primarily from the ANU POLIS 2025 survey, the AIHW HILDA analysis, and Roy Morgan's 2024–25 PGSI survey.
Gender
- 48% of men gamble at least weekly
- 28% of women gamble at least weekly
- Men aged 18–34: 5× more likely to bet on sports than women
- 9.3% of male regular gamblers at high risk vs 5.8% of women
- Online gambling strongly male-skewed; lotteries more gender-balanced
Age
- 18–24 year olds: 17.8% at high risk — highest of any age group
- 25–34 dominant in online sports and race betting
- 35–64: most likely to play pokies regularly
- 65+: highest lottery participation; lowest sports betting
- Online gambling strongly associated with younger age (ANU POLIS 2025)
Socioeconomic
- Mortgage stress correlates with higher problem gambling prevalence
- EGM losses highest in low-income and outer-suburban areas (IBISWORLD)
- NT: gambling tax = 12.1% of total state revenue — a sign of a small, vulnerable tax base
- Unemployment associated with higher harm risk (ANU POLIS)
- CALD backgrounds associated with greater gambling harm
State Participation
- Queensland: 70.2% — highest state participation
- Western Australia: 69.9% (no pub pokies but high betting)
- South Australia: 67.9%
- NSW, VIC, QLD: highest absolute losses due to population + EGM density
- ACT: highest per-adult EGM losses despite progressive policy stance
Online Gambling Profile (2025)
- Associated with: male gender, younger age, higher income
- Frequent play and loneliness are linked to online gambling
- Psychological distress significantly associated with online participation
- 56.1% of gamblers mainly online in 2025 (up from 44% in 2019)
- Online casino game use growing despite IGA prohibition
Frequency
- 31.9% of adults gambled at least monthly
- 38% of Australian adults gambled at least weekly
- Regular gamblers: 73.8% play lottery, 22.1% pokies, 17.1% race betting
- Problem gambling prevalence highest among weekly+ gamblers
- 23% of gamblers reported playing 6+ different products
Problem Gambling Data — The PGSI
Gambling harm in Australia is measured using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) — a nine-question survey instrument that classifies gamblers into four groups: non-problem, low-risk, moderate-risk, and problem gambling (PGSI 8+). The data tells a consistent and worsening story: participation is declining, but harm among those who do gamble is intensifying.
Problem gambling incidence (PGSI 8+) among Australian adults, 2022–23 to 2024–25. Source: Roy Morgan PGSI Research 2025.
| PGSI Classification | Score | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Problem Gambling | 8+ | 1.9% | 2.4% | 2.9% | ↑ +1.0pp over 2 years |
| Moderate Risk | 3–7 | ~3.5% | ~4.2% | ~5.1% | ↑ Growing |
| Low Risk | 1–2 | ~8.0% | ~7.1% | ~7.1% | ↓ Slight decrease |
| Non-Problem / No Gambling | 0 | ~86.6% | ~86.3% | ~84.9% | ↓ Declining |
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source PGSI survey, July 2022–June 2025; ANU POLIS 2025.
The PGSI data presents what researchers call the "intensification paradox": as overall participation falls, the concentration of harm among those who continue to gamble is rising. This is consistent with a market where casual and occasional players have disengaged, leaving behind a core of heavier, higher-risk gamblers. ANU POLIS researchers describe this as "a critical need for regulatory and public health responses targeting online gambling" — because the shift to online is strongly associated with greater harm intensity.
Gambling Expenditure by State
The QGSO's 40th edition provides the most comprehensive state-by-state breakdown of gambling expenditure in Australia. The following table compares total turnover, net player losses, per-capita losses and government tax revenue for each jurisdiction in 2022–23 and 2023–24.
| State | Total Turnover | Net Losses | Per Capita Loss | Govt Tax Revenue | % of State Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | $114.6B | ~$13.3B | $1,508 per adult | ~$3.5B | 6.9% |
| Victoria | $44.1B | $7.3B | $882 per adult | $2.4B | 5.9% |
| Queensland | ~$38B | $3.9B | $977 per adult | ~$1.9B | 7.5% |
| Western Australia | ~$28B | ~$2.8B | Lower (casino only pokies) | ~$0.5B | 0.9% |
| South Australia | ~$12B | ~$1.4B | ~$960 per adult | ~$0.5B | ~5% |
| Northern Territory | ~$3.6B | ~$0.9B | Highest per capita | Variable | 12.1% — highest nationally |
| Tasmania | ~$3.2B | ~$0.5B | ~$283 per adult (EGMs) | ~$0.18B | ~4% |
| ACT | ~$3.5B | ~$0.4B | ~$1,100 per adult (EGMs) | ~$0.14B | ~6% |
Sources: QGSO 40th Edition; IBISWorld 2026; VGCCC FY2024–25. Figures rounded; state comparison affected by tourism and cross-border activity.
Gambling Tax Revenue — State Dependence
State governments collected a combined $9.4 billion in gambling taxes in 2023–24 — a figure that has grown consistently for a decade and that most states have structured their budgets around. The reliance is not uniform: New South Wales collects the most in absolute terms ($3.5 billion — 6.9% of total revenue), but the Northern Territory is most structurally dependent, with gambling taxes accounting for 12.1% of total territory revenue.
Gambling tax revenue as % of total state/territory revenue, 2023–24. Source: IBISWorld; QGSO.
The structural dependence on gambling revenue creates what researchers call a "conflict of interest" at the heart of Australian gambling regulation. States simultaneously regulate gambling to minimise harm and depend on gambling-derived taxes to fund services. IBISWorld notes that pokies are projected to grow at 7.2% annually in NSW through 2028–29 in budget estimates — framed as revenue growth rather than harm. Meanwhile, only 0.6% of Queensland's $1.9 billion in gambling taxes was returned to harm minimisation programs in 2022–23.
Australia in a Global Context
Australia's position as the world's highest per-capita gambling nation is well-documented but frequently understated in domestic policy debates. The following comparisons are drawn from international gambling data sources and the Conversation's analysis of non-casino EGM losses globally.
| Country | Annual Loss Per Adult (Non-Casino EGMs) | vs Australia | Casino EGMs Permitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | ~AUD $633 (pubs/clubs) | Baseline | Yes (all states) |
| Italy | ~AUD $264 | 2.4× less than AU | Yes |
| New Zealand | ~AUD $211 | 3× less than AU | Yes |
| Canada | ~AUD $154 | 4.1× less than AU | Provincial |
| Ireland | ~AUD $99 | 6.4× less than AU | Limited |
| United Kingdom | ~AUD $84 | 7.5× less than AU | Licensed venues |
| United States | ~AUD $65 | 9.8× less than AU | States vary |
| Western Australia | ~AUD $0 (no pub/club EGMs) | N/A | Casino only |
Non-casino EGM losses per adult. Source: The Conversation / International Gambling Studies 2024. Note: Australia's pub/club EGM losses exclude casino EGMs and all other gambling products; total losses are substantially higher.
Our Primary Data Sources
Every statistic on this page links to its primary source. The following organisations publish the most authoritative gambling statistics for Australia. Where data sources conflict, we cite the most recent government-published figure.
QGSO — Australian Gambling Statistics
The definitive annual national dataset. 40th edition covers 1998–99 to 2023–24. Compiled by the Queensland Government in co-operation with all state and territory governments. Covers turnover, expenditure, tax revenue and market share for every product and jurisdiction.
qgso.qld.gov.au →AIHW — Gambling in Australia
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare publishes gambling as a health and welfare issue. Covers participation, expenditure, PGSI harm rates, treatment data and demographic analysis. Updated 2025.
aihw.gov.au →ANU POLIS — Gambling in Australia Annual Survey
The leading academic survey series. Six waves from 2019–2025 covering participation rates, PGSI classifications, online gambling profiles and demographic risk factors. Uses the ANUpoll methodology (n=3,000+ per wave).
polis.cass.anu.edu.au →VGCCC — Victorian Gambling Data
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission publishes monthly EGM expenditure by LGA, quarterly casino revenue, and annual summaries of all gambling products in Victoria. One of the most granular state-level datasets available.
vgccc.vic.gov.au →Liquor & Gaming NSW
Publishes six-monthly EGM expenditure data for clubs and hotels in NSW, broken down by Local Government Area. Also publishes quarterly gaming machine data and compliance reports.
liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au →Roy Morgan — PGSI Research
Roy Morgan's Single Source survey tracks PGSI classifications among Australian adults across 3 consecutive annual waves (2022–23 to 2024–25), providing the most up-to-date commercial tracking of problem gambling prevalence.
roymorgan.com →Explore by Topic
Pokies in Australia
Machine counts, player losses, EGM tax rates, harm data, and the cashless gaming reform debate
Sports & Racing Betting
Market size, operators, POCT tax by state, bet types, AFL/NRL/racing data and advertising reform
Casinos & Lottery
Crown, Star, SkyCity revenue data, casino scandals, table games, and The Lottery Corporation
Poker in Australia
The 2017 online ban, live poker rooms, rake structures, Aussie Millions, and top players
Statistics by State and Territory
Gambling regulation, expenditure patterns and dominant products vary significantly by jurisdiction. Select a state to view detailed gambling statistics, EGM data, tax revenue and regulatory information.
