Research by Gambling Research Australia highlights a significant rise in online gambling popularity, even while traditional gambling declines in Australia.
Research Confirms Increase in Online Gambling Across Australia
The in-depth Second National Survey on Interactive Gambling in Australia (2019-2020) the Study This study, funded by the government, was the first comprehensive exploration since 2010-2011, involving extensive phone and online surveys, engaging over 20,000 Australians regarding their gambling behaviors.
A notable 17.5% of participants reported gambling online, more than doubling from the 8.1% record during the original study, with this trend emerging alongside an overall fall in gambling participation.
Data reveals 56.9% of participants engaged in some form of gambling, marking a noticeable decrease from the 64.3% involvement reported back in 2010-2011. Gambling activities surveyed included lotteries, sports betting, horse racing, casino games, and pokies.
Online Lottery Participation Tops the Chart in Forms of Virtual Gambling
Participants in the study predominately favored online lotteries, with 10.1% participation, followed by horse racing at 5.9% and 5.8% for sports betting as Australia’s preferred online gambling activities.
Young males with slightly higher educational backgrounds and typically in steady relationships represent the average online gambler; many attributed mobile app convenience as a significant factor for their online betting choices.
Critiques on the inefficacy of online gambling protection mechanisms
The study highlights that online gamblers are twice as likely to become problem gamblers compared to those who gamble in traditional settings. Although newly implemented governmental measures aim to curb problem gambling, they seem ineffective in targeting online bettors.
The National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering is being executed jointly by the federal and state governments. However, interventions like deposit limit pre-settings are yet minimally adopted among gamblers. It's suggested that such protective actions might need to be more rigorous in the future due to the influence of advertising encouraging increased gambling activities.
