Roy Morgan research reveals that almost a million Australians (881,000) who bet on sport are now considered problem or moderate-risk gamblers. Photo: File.
According to new data, just over 12 per cent of gamblers, who are experiencing the highest level of harm in Australia, contribute almost half of all the industry’s revenue.
Research by Roy Morgan shows problem and moderate gamblers, representing 12.7 per cent of those who gamble, are responsible for 48.5 per cent of all gambling revenue.
Alliance for Gambling Reform CEO Martin Thomas said Australia lost more to gambling than any other country, but we were just discovering how much the profits relied on people who were being seriously harmed from gambling and how these losses were causing social harm on an industry scale.
“This is an industry that offers free bets and other inducements to keep people gambling – even after people have said they want to quit gambling,” Mr Thomas said. “Their whole business model relies on exploiting those who cannot afford their losses.
“These losses are causing not only financial hardship but health and mental health problems, relationship break-up, partner violence and even suicide. A recent study showed almost 20 per cent of suicides in Australia could be related to gambling.
“We have long known that the predatory gambling industry does all it can to keep people who are ‘losing big’ betting; this new data shows just how cynical and ruthless is the industry’s business model.”
Other findings included:
- 56 per cent of problem gamblers suffer from mental health concerns, making them 21 per cent more likely than the average Australian
- 41 per cent suffer from anxiety and are 20 per cent more likely than the average Australian
- 37 per cent of the problem gamblers agree their debt levels are out of control, which is 65 per cent more likely than the average Australian.
Roy Morgan facilitated the research through interviews with about 16,000 Australians in the year to March 2024.
These were based on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) framework, now tracked continuously in the Roy Morgan Single Source Survey, representing the largest continuous gambling harm research program in Australia.
The alliance has just released its inducements policy, calling on the Federal Government to forbid betting companies from offering free bets and other “gimmicks” to keep people gambling.
It said all inducements must be banned, along with gambling advertising, which were also recommendations in a parliamentary report into online gambling reform.
The Federal Government received the parliamentary report, chaired by Labor MP Peta Murphy, almost 12 months ago and is yet to deliver its response. A key recommendation in the report was a moderate and reasonable three-year, phased-in ban on all gambling advertising.
“It is time for the government to act on this report to protect Australians from being inundated by gambling advertisements and inducements and to reduce the devastating impact of gambling across the Australian community,” Mr Thomas said.
