New research reveals gambling participation and harm is rising in Australia and is linked to other serious issues including suicidal thoughts, intimate partner violence and financial stress.
The National Gambling Prevalence Study Pilot study was conducted in 2024 by the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) at the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) based on a nationally representative survey of 3,881 Australian adults.
Nearly two in three (65%) Australian adults gambled at least once in the last year, and more than one in seven (15%) experienced gambling-related harms - an increase of 8 and 4 percentage points respectively since 2019. Nearly one in three adults (32%) gamble at least monthly.
An estimated 3.1 million adults (15%) experienced harms such as feeling guilty and stressed about their gambling, borrowing money or selling things to fund gambling, or going back another day to try to win back lost money.
Among high-risk gamblers, 16% reported experiencing suicidal thoughts, compared to 4% of low-risk gamblers. 19% of people whose partner gambled weekly or more reported experiences of intimate partner violence, compared to 7% of people whose partners did not gamble.
Also, 66% of high-risk gamblers reported serious financial stress, such as going without meals or selling belongings to cope.
Younger adults were found to be particularly affected, with 18-24-year-olds who gamble regularly nearly twice as likely to be at high risk of harm compared to older age groups. Among First Nations Australians, 27% reported experiencing gambling harms - nearly double the rate of non-Indigenous Australians.
AGRC Research Fellow Dr Gabriel Tillman said the findings show the growing impact of gambling on individuals, families and communities.
"We know that gambling can cause deep harm to individuals and families, profoundly impacting relationships, mental health, work and other aspects of life," Dr Tillman said.
"The fact that more than 3 million Australian adults are experiencing harms from their gambling, and these numbers have increased in recent years despite harm-reduction measures should concern Australians."
AIFS Director, Liz Neville, said the findings highlight the need for rigorous approaches to understanding the size and nature of the problem as part of a framework for monitoring of current harm-reduction measures.
"This pilot study gives us a clearer picture of the scale of the issue, who is most affected, and how policy and regulation need to keep pace," Liz Neville said.
"The current harm reduction initiatives need to be carefully examined and tested in view of this evidence, with ongoing measurement making for more impactful responses over time."
"Gambling is pervasive, and we need a more robust approach to helping families and communities, as well as the individuals themselves who are affected by their own gambling," Liz Neville said.
Key findings
In the 12 months prior to October 2024:
- 65% of Australian adults reported gambling at least once. Lotteries were the most common activity, followed by scratch tickets, poker machines, race betting and sports betting.
- Gambling participation (adults gambling at least once in the past year) varied by state, with Queensland (70.2%), Western Australia (69.6%), and South Australia (67.9%) reporting the highest rates. Victoria (60%) and Tasmania (59.9%) recorded the lowest.
- Men were more likely than women to gamble regularly (36% vs 28%) and were also more likely to engage in riskier forms such as race and sports betting. Women, by contrast, were more likely to favour scratch tickets and bingo.
- 18% of the 18-24 age group who gamble regularly were at high risk of gambling harm compared to 10% of the 35-44 age group.
- 68% of high-risk gamblers experienced cognitive, behavioural or mental health conditions compared to 28% of low-risk gamblers.
- 19% of respondents whose partner gambles weekly or more experienced intimate partner violence compared to 7% of respondents whose partner had not gambled.
- 66% of high-risk gamblers experienced financial hardship (e.g. going without meals) compared to 24% of low-risk gamblers.
Australians collectively lose $32 billion on legal forms of gambling annually - the largest per capita losses of any country in the world.
A sample of Australians reported in AGRC research that there are too many opportunities to gamble (77%) and that gambling should be discouraged (59%), while few believed (17%) gambling is good for society.
Given these community concerns, regular and accurate estimates of gambling participation and harm are necessary to monitor Australia's rapidly evolving gambling landscape, and its impact.
The National Gambling Prevalence Study Pilot was developed with the aim of establishing a wider, ongoing research effort that can track trends, evaluate policy and guide future reforms.
