New research finds ‘exponential’ growth in online gambling – CathNews

New research shows an increasing number of Australians are gambling online and entering “risky” territory. Source: The Guardian.

The Australian National University’s Centre for Gambling Research found people have continued to gamble at elevated levels, after spiking post-pandemic.

The centre’s director, Aino Suomi, said the “new normal” of gambling participation – which included entering lotteries – had plateaued at about 60 per cent, an increase from about 50 per cent of the adult population who participated in gambling during the COVID-19 shut downs.

The ANU research found a slight decrease in the number of participants in the 12 months since the poll was taken, dropping from 61.3 per cent to 60.3 per cent. Before the pandemic, gambling levels were sitting about 65.6 per cent.

But the number of people participating in gambling with risk increased from 11.6 per cent last year to 13.6 per cent in 2024, the research found.

The latest poll also found online gambling was becoming increasingly popular, with 33.4 per cent of respondents placing bets on those platforms in the past 12 months. Online gambling participation was highest for betting on sports and racing, the report found.

“Online gambling has exponentially increased, and should now be considered one of the main gambling platforms,” Dr Suomi said.

“The unlimited access to online gambling has the potential to cause real harm if not properly addressed.”

The data was collected between April 2019 and January 2024. 

Discontent has been growing among the crossbench and advocates over the delay in implementing reforms proposed by a parliamentary committee headed by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy.

The landmark Murphy report recommended a phased, comprehensive ban on online gambling advertising within three years.

While the Albanese Government has not ruled out adopting the committee’s recommendations, it had not yet committed to an action plan.

FULL STORY

Online gambling in Australia has ‘exponentially increased’, new report warns (By Amy Remeikis, The Guardian)