6.8 Million Australians Gamble Regularly

An estimated 6.8 million Australians are regular gamblers, spending money on one or more gambling activities in a typical month, according to new analysis by the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC).

The report found that approximately 1.4 million Australians experience one or more gambling-related problems. This includes over 40 per cent of those who gamble regularly on the pokies, race betting, sports betting, casino table games, private betting or poker.

The study also shows that gamblers living in low income households spend much more of their families' income on gambling than those in high income households. Men as young as 18 who are out of a job or on low incomes are among the country’s biggest gamblers.

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Full pokies ‘pre-commitment systems’ needed

Australians need the protection of full ‘pre-commitment systems’ to reduce the financial and social harm from poker machines, according to a discussion paper released today by the Australian Gambling Research Centre.

Eight per cent of the Australian adult population – or 1.4million people – experience some degree of gambling problem. Of these almost half are moderate or high risk gamblers, with poker machines the most harmful form of gambling in Australia.

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