Gambling is a major public policy issue in Australia, affecting the health and wellbeing of individuals and families in a range of ways. An estimated 35% of Australian adults (6.5 million people) gambled in a typical month in 2018 and total annual gambling losses in Australia were estimated at around $25 billion.

This research summary draws on available data to describe:

• the extent of gambling participation and expenditure in Australia
• some of the impacts of gambling on health and wellbeing
• how COVID restrictions affected gambling behaviour in 2020.