On this page:

• Overview
• About the National Gambling Trends Study
• Gambling harm
• Motivations
• Consumer protection
• Gambling harm minimisation action
• Gambling help seeking
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Recommendations for further action
• References
• Acknowledgements

Overview

This report is based on the National Gambling Trends Study 2023 consumer survey – an online survey held between July and September 2023 with Australian adults who bet online on sports or races at least monthly. It reports on trends in gambling harm, online betting motivations, consumer protection, harm reduction actions, help seeking, mental health and wellbeing for regular online bettors.

About the National Gambling Trends Study

Purpose

This is the second release from the National Gambling Trends Study (NGTS), which is conducted annually by the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) at the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS).

The aim of the NGTS is to present timely information on recent trends, emerging issues and possible future directions in gambling participation and related harms in Australia. The information is relevant for gambling policy makers and regulators, service providers, researchers and the broader community. Through the dissemination of NGTS, the AGRC aims to support the development and implementation of evidence-based approaches to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm in Australia.

Methods

The NGTS uses mixed-methods research, drawing on data from different sources to increase robustness and reliability. The current release is based on a consumer survey conducted online during July–September 2023 with people who bet online on sports or races (also known as online wagering) on a regular basis (at least monthly) (N = 2,603). These methods do not aim to represent the population estimates of gambling participation and gambling harms in Australia.

A convenience sample of Australian adults completed the online survey covering their demographic characteristics, gambling behaviour (frequency, spend, mode, location, payment methods used, risks and harm), most recent online betting session, alcohol use and smoking, health and wellbeing, help seeking, and use of harm minimisation tools. The sample characteristics of these regular online bettors is presented in Table 1. The median survey duration was 18 minutes.

Reports

This research summary is 1 of 3 published for the 2023 release of the NGTS. The full suite includes:

1. Regular online bettors in Australia, 2023
2. Consumer perspectives on online betting: Trends in harm minimisation, advertising and normalisation, 2023
3. What characteristics of pokies gambling sessions are associated with higher risk gambling? 2023

Table 1: Characteristics of participants in the NGTS 2023 consumer survey of regular online bettors

Gambling harm

I see and hear of a lot of people in my same position, chasing their loses because that’s all we know. It is gambling but they are killing the population. (Male, 22, regular online bettor)

Gambling is a significant public policy issue in Australia. It is associated with a range of harms including financial, health, relationship, psychological, cultural, educational, occupational and criminal (Browne et al., 2016; Langham et al., 2016; Marionneau et al., 2022).

The classification of Australian adults who bet at least monthly on online sports or races according to the PGSI is presented in Figure 1. More than two-thirds (70.1%) met the criteria for at-risk gambling (low-risk, moderate-risk and high-risk combined). More than 20% met the criteria for high-risk gambling and almost a quarter (24.1%) met the criteria for moderate-risk gambling.

Figure 1: Classification of Australian adults who bet regularly online on sports or races according to the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)

Notes: At-risk gambling during the past 12 months was assessed using the 9-item Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI; Ferris & Wynne, 2001). Respondents were grouped into 4 categories based on their scores: non-problem gambling (0), low-risk gambling (1–2), moderate-risk gambling (3–7) and high-risk/‘problem’ gambling (8–27). Respondents scoring 1+ may be classified as being at some risk of, or already experiencing, gambling problems. Participants with missing data on 1 or more of the PGSI items were excluded from the analysis (n = 112; 4.3%).

Gambling harm and age

I think it should be heavily regulated because people younger than me are integrating it into their social lives as something to do together. I was a product of illegal online gambling masked as kids’ games like CSGO during high school but now kids those age have started betting on sports. (Male, 21, regular online bettor)

Within the sample, the 18–34 age group had the highest proportion of bettors in the high-risk (26.1%) and moderate-risk (25.8%) gambling classifications compared to the 35–54 and 55+ age groups (Figure 2). High-risk and moderate-risk gambling proportions declined with age and low-risk gambling proportions generally remained consistent across age groups. Non-risk gambling proportions increased with age.

Gambling expenditure among regular online bettors also varied across age groups. The 18–34 and 55+ age groups reported a median weekly spend of $60 across all forms of gambling, whereas online bettors in the 35–54 age range spent $80. When only looking at high-risk online bettors, the 18–34 age group had a median weekly spend of $300 across all forms of gambling, whereas online bettors in the 35–54 and 55+ age ranges spent $200. Overall, 76.2% of the 18–34 age group, 68.9% of the 35–54 age group and 53.8% of the 55+ age group met the criteria for ‘at-risk gambling’.

Figure 2: Classification of Australian adults who bet regularly online on sports or races according to the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) by age

Gambling harm and gender

I see young women and young mothers betting on the AFL while at the game and I’d never really seen that before. (Male, 41, regular online bettor)

Figure 3 shows the distribution of at-risk gambling (PGSI) categories by gender, highlighting several differences in gambling risk levels between men and women who bet regularly online. A higher percentage of men fall into the moderate-risk (25.3%) and high-risk (25.3%) gambling categories than women, who were 22.2% and 14.5% respectively. Conversely, women had higher proportions in the non-risk (34.4%) and low-risk (28.9%) gambling categories compared to men. Expenditure on gambling also differed across gender, with men reporting a higher median weekly total expenditure on gambling compared to women ($100 vs $50 per month).

Figure 3: Classification of Australian adults who bet regularly online on sports or races according to the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), by gender

Motivations

People are desperate for money, they’re doing it tough, and for many, including myself and my partner, we see gambling as a means to increase our funds. It doesn’t, but human nature overrules sense. (Female, 66, regular online bettor)

Participants were asked what motivated them in the past 12 months to bet online on sports and/or racing. The top 3 online betting motivations for non-risk regular online bettors (see Figure 4) were reported to be to enjoy a punt (54.6%), make sport more interesting (35%) and because it is a social activity (28.9%).

The top 2 motivations for at-risk regular online bettors (see Figure 4) were also to enjoy a punt (52.4%) and make sport more interesting (40.1%). However, the third highest motivation for online betting for at-risk online bettors was to get financially ahead (30.8%).

Figure 4: Motivation among Australian adults who are non-risk and at-risk of gambling harm and bet regularly online on sports or racing

Note: Percentages do not add up to 100% as online bettors could select one or more motivations for gambling.

Consumer protection

Many countries have been updating their gambling regulations and legislation to address the challenges posed by online gambling, protect consumers, and ensure responsible gambling practices. (Male, 44, regular online bettor)

Of non-risk online bettors, 23% reported using any consumer protection feature, with the most common features being unsubscribing from direct marketing (5.5%), setting betting (5.9%) and deposit limits (6.3%) and accessing activity statements (12.2%; see Figure 5). Engagement levels with consumer protection tools reported by those classified as non-risk indicate widespread awareness of available consumer protection measures regardless of gambling habits.

Of at-risk online bettors, 49.1% reported using any consumer protection feature, with the most used feature being accessing activity statements (19.9%; see Figure 5). The use of temporary self-exclusion was 2.8% higher than permanent self-exclusion for at-risk bettors, highlighting that some individuals are still hesitant to commit to long-term exclusion.

Figure 5: Consumer protection use among Australian adults who are non-risk and at-risk of gambling harm and bet regularly online on sports or racing

Gambling harm minimisation action

I believe it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever found to stop. (Male, 36, regular online bettor)

To understand what respondents were doing to minimise gambling harm, we asked what actions they had taken in the past 12 months to try and control the amount of money or time they spent on any form of gambling. A much lower number of non-risk online bettors take harm minimisation action (9.7%) compared to at-risk online bettors (42.6%).

For non-risk online bettors, the highest percentage was for setting a limit on time spent gambling (3.9%) and most of the other gambling harm minimisation actions were below 2.4%. For at-risk online bettors, the key harm minimisation actions included closing an online betting account (14.8%), setting a limit on time spent gambling (13.7%) and substituting gambling with other activities (11.1%).

Figure 6: Actions taken by Australian adults who are non-risk and at-risk of gambling harm and bet regularly online on sports or racing to control their gambling

Gambling help seeking

I know there [have] been significant education campaigns on educating the public on [the] dangers of gambling and to seek help… it’s being widely accepted as a problem. (Female, 25, regular online bettor)

For at-risk online bettors, 5.4% sought help for gambling in the past 12 months, 11.1% wanted to seek help but didn’t and 82.1% stated that they didn’t need help. This is a relatively low rate of help seeking given a significant proportion of the sample met the criteria for at-risk gambling.

Among those who sought help (n = 95), the main types of help that were sought by at-risk regular online bettors included:

• calling a helpline (e.g. Gambler’s Help, Lifeline; 37.9%)
• browsing a gambling help related website or forum (35.8%)
• seeking help from family, friends or work colleagues (30.5%)
• seeking help from a doctor, psychologist or counsellor (27.4%)
• enrolling in a self-exclusion program (26.3%).

The low engagement with help services highlights the need to understand the reasons for seeking gambling help services and barriers to engaging with them.

In terms of reasons for seeking help, among those who did seek help, financial problems were the most reported reason for doing so, followed by health problems, relationship problems, then work/study problems (see Figure 7). Taken together, the help-seeking behaviours of at-risk online bettors demonstrates how gambling harms cut across financial, health, relationship, work, education and other domains.

Figure 7: Gambling help-seeking reasons among Australian adults at-risk of gambling harm who bet regularly online on sports or racing

Note: The figure presents data from a subset of the total sample who were individuals that reported that they did seek help (n = 95).

In terms of barriers to seeking help, among at-risk online bettors who did not seek help but wanted to (11.1%), embarrassment was the most reported barrier (62.7%), followed by not thinking it would help (30.5%), not knowing where to get help (25.4%), financial barriers (22.3%), language barriers (8.3%), then a lack of transport (7.3%; see Figure 8).

Figure 8: Barriers to help seeking among Australian adults at-risk of gambling harm who bet regularly online on sports or racing

Note: The figure presents data from a subset of the total sample who were individuals that reported that they wanted to seek help but didn’t (n = 193).

Mental health and wellbeing

Both mental health outcomes and subjective wellbeing varied across gambling risk levels (see Table 2). Generally, online bettors with higher risk levels had higher proportions of serious mental illness and lower subjective wellbeing scores. The trend is consistent across different age groups and genders.

Alarmingly, the proportion of probable serious mental illness classifications is nearly 40% among high-risk online bettors. More younger individuals in the high-risk category (18–34) exhibit serious mental illness compared to older age groups but individuals in the 35–54 age group show lower levels of subjective wellbeing.

Women, particularly in the high-risk category, experience higher levels of serious mental illness and lower wellbeing compared to men.

Table 2: Mental health and wellbeing of Australian adults who bet regularly online on sports or racing by PGSI, gender and age

Recommendations for further action

Regular online bettors were over-represented in the at-risk of gambling harm categories. It is important to determine if current policy interventions such as online gambling advertising restrictions and self-exclusion programs are sufficient or if additional targeted policy interventions are needed, such as mandatory pre-commitment and loss limits.

One clear trend in the data is that younger Australian adults betting regularly online are more at risk of experiencing gambling-related harm than older regular online bettors, which is consistent with previous NGTS findings (Greer et al., 2023). Young people aged 18–34 years are more likely to be exposed to wagering advertising via ‘interactive media’ (e.g. social media, online) and people aged 55+ are more likely to be exposed via traditional media (e.g. TV, radio, print media; AGRC, 2023). Therefore, limiting advertising on interactive platforms such as social media would benefit young Australians.

As recommended in the ‘You Win Some, You Lose More’ parliamentary inquiry (House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, 2023), it would be useful to develop an online gambling public education campaign that guides at-risk groups, such as young Australians, to make safer choices online. This would include publishing all gambling-related public education resources on the Australian Government’s Student Wellbeing Hub and the Office of the eSafety Commissioner website to help promote awareness of gambling harm to young people and offer strategies to limit exposure.

In terms of motivations for sports and race betting, non-risk bettors viewed online betting more as a form of entertainment and, although at-risk bettors shared this sentiment, they reported motivations for betting as a means to make money. At-risk bettors were also more motivated by the adrenaline rush of betting, which speaks to the psychology of gambling and highlights the role of thrill seeking in the development of high-risk gambling behaviour.

Closing an online betting account and setting a limit on time spent gambling were the most common actions taken by at-risk bettors to try to control the amount of money or time they spent betting. Therefore, it is important that these harm reduction features are easily accessible by consumers on online betting websites, in apps and through other avenues of engagement with wagering service providers.

Embarrassment was the leading barrier to seeking help for online bettors who wanted to but didn’t. This suggests there is strong stigma around gambling-related harm that may be preventing individuals accessing the support they need. Moreover, there was a relatively high percentage of those who didn’t think it would help or didn’t know where to get help.

The findings of this report highlight the need for further funding of online betting harm reduction measures. These include training for staff working in health, community, financial counselling services and crisis and gambling helplines to minimise stigma and provide best practice treatment and support. Furthermore, these findings support the need for development of an online gambling public education campaign centred around reducing stigma and encouraging help-seeking. Another recommendation from the ‘You Win Some, You Lose More’ inquiry was to levy online wagering service providers to fund harm-reduction initiatives such as these.

Women, particularly those at high risk of gambling harm, experience higher levels of serious mental illness and lower wellbeing than men in the same category. It is possible that men are under-reporting their mental health struggles, yet women may also be more susceptible to the emotional and psychological impacts of gambling harm. These findings suggest the need for gender-specific strategies to mitigate gambling-related harm based on gender.

References

Australian Gambling Research Centre. (2023). Exposure and impact of sports and race betting advertising in Australia. Melbourne: Australian Gambling Research Centre, Australian Institute of Family Studies. aifs.gov.au/research/research-snapshots/exposure-and-impact-sports-and-race-betting-advertising-australia

Browne, M., Langham, E., Rawat, V., Greer, N., Li, E., Rose, J. et al. (2016). Assessing gambling-related harm in Victoria: A public health perspective. Melbourne: Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. responsiblegambling.vic.gov.au/documents/69/Research-report-assessing-gambling-related-harm-in-vic.pdf

Ferris, J., & Wynne, H. (2001). The Canadian Problem Gambling Index: Final report. Submitted for the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA). Ottawa: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. jogoremoto.pt/docs/extra/TECb6h.pdf

Greer, N., Jenkinson, R., Vandenberg, B., & Sakata, K. (2023). Regular online betting in Australia, 2022: National Gambling Trends Study. Melbourne: Australian Gambling Research Centre, Australian Institute of Family Studies. Retrieved from aifs.gov.au/research/research-snapshots/regular-online-betting-australia-2022

House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs (SPLA, 2023). You win some, you lose more: Online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm. Canberra: Parliament of Australia. Retrieved from www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Social_Policy_and_Legal_Affairs
/Onlinegamblingimpacts/Report

International Wellbeing Group. (2013). Personal Wellbeing Index (5th Edition). Melbourne: Australian Centre on Quality of Life, Deakin University.  www.acqol.com.au/instruments#measures

Kessler, R. C., Andrews, G., Colpe, L. J., Hiripi, E., Mroczek, D. K., Normand, S. L. et al. (2002). Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress. Psychological Medicine, 32(6), 959–976.

Langham, E., Thorne, H., Browne, M., Donaldson, P., Rose, J., & Rockloff, M. (2016). Understanding gambling related harm: A proposed definition, conceptual framework and taxonomy of harms. BMC Public Health, 16, 1–23. doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-2747-0

Marionneau, V., Egerer, M., & Raisamo, S. (2022). Frameworks of gambling harms: A comparative review and synthesis. Addiction Research & Theory, 31(1), 69–76. doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2022.2113071

Acknowledgements

The Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) was established under the Commonwealth Gambling Measures Act 2012. Our gambling research program reflects the Act, embodies a national perspective and has a strong family focus. Our work forms part of the functions of the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS).

Featured image: © gettyimages/Wpadington