Gambling in Australia - statistics & facts
Possibly due to its compatibility with Australia’s love of sport and pub culture, gambling has long been a popular pastime among adults in Australia. In 2020, Australians spent close to 17 billion Australian dollars on electronic gaming machines, lotto, and other gaming alone. Furthermore, the gross value added by the gambling industry contributed around 420 million Australian dollars to the economy in 2022. As such, Australia is an attractive market for investment in the gambling industry and is continuing to grow, particularly in the online gaming segment.
The gambling industry is closely regulated and taxed by the federal, state, and territory governments. Each jurisdiction administers its own caps on gaming licenses and EGMs, but online and interactive gaming is administered federally by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which prohibits a range of online gambling services including online casinos and in-play sports betting for people in Australia.
Gambling facilities in Australia
By far the most popular form of gaming in terms of per capita expenditure is wagering on electronic gaming machines (EGMs). EGMs can be found in most pubs, clubs, and casinos around the country, often with large rooms or sections of the venues dedicated to gaming. Some of these venues will also host horseracing and greyhound racing betting facilities known as a TAB (Totalisator Agency Board) or UBET. TAB and UBET facilities are also available at dedicated betting shops owned and managed by Tabcorp, which has a near-monopoly on lotteries and land-based betting shops. However, despite launching its own online gambling platform, Tabcorp’s share of the overall gambling market is up against popular online wagering websites and apps like Sportsbet and Ladbrokes.The Melbourne Cup Carnival
Second only to EGMs and other gaming, the racing industry enjoys a high profile in Australia and although racing events are also viewed as social events and fashion spectacles, betting on the outcome of races is a given. Australia’s most famous and prestigious horse racing event is the Melbourne Cup Carnival, hosted by the Victorian Turf Club at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. Melbourne Cup Day is held annually on the first Tuesday of November and is a public holiday in Victoria. The event has been dubbed “the race that stops the nation”, due to its nationwide viewership, associated events, and widespread gambling participation.The gambling industry is closely regulated and taxed by the federal, state, and territory governments. Each jurisdiction administers its own caps on gaming licenses and EGMs, but online and interactive gaming is administered federally by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which prohibits a range of online gambling services including online casinos and in-play sports betting for people in Australia.
