Online Gambling Issues In Australia

Online casino gaming is prohibited in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Cth) (Interactive Gambling Act). However, a person may still apply for an ‘internet gaming licence’ in the Northern Territory and offer their gaming products outside of Australia in certain circumstances.

• Online Gambling Issues In Australia Today

• What people are saying about Gambling Help Online
• 'Quicker, easier, immediate, felt comfortable. Convenient as I have a computer.' - Anonymous
• 'I wanted to put an end to my online gambling habit. I felt more comfortable chatting to someone online, rather than on the phone.' - Anonymous
• 'I've found this service to be really helpful.' - Anonymous

Interested in chatting to someone?

• 'There are no real limits to online gambling and you can use credit cards to top up online gambling accounts, which you can’t use in pubs or clubs.' People in Australia must stay at least 1.
• For example, research published in 2019 found there was an average of 374 gambling ads a day on Australian free-to-air TV in 2016. This was approximately five-times the number of alcohol ads.'
• Although there are no issues about legality of online gambling in Australia, but when you do online gamble, then you may have some issues in this. The biggest problem of this gambling method is that you never know about the authenticity of websites. Websites that are not regulated by Australian law and you may end up losing your money.

Help is just a click away.

Free, confidential and available 24/7.

Not sure where to start?

Our self-help modules are a great place to start the process of recovery.

You’re not alone

The forum is a great place to chat with people.

Why not join today?

Why take a self-assessment?

Finding out where you are now can be a great first step towards making a change.

Our SMS messages can help keep you on track

This free tool is designed to motivate, inspire and give you tips when you need them.

Back to menu

Ready to change?

Thinking about change might mean you’re ready to set some goals. Here’s how.

Gambling calculator

Ever wondered how much you really spend on gambling? Try our gambling calculator.

Recovery stories

Other people’s experiences can inspire you and show you what is possible!

How to help?

Practical ways to help someone with a gambling problem.

When you're ready to take charge, we are ready to listen

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858.

Feeling the strain of gambling too much?

Find out if gambling is becoming a problem, and acccess 24/7 chat and email support.

Minimising harm in venues

Venue staff are trained to assist individuals who may be experiencing problem gambling issues to minimise gambling harm.

Get back to the real game

Feel like you can’t watch sport without putting a bet on?

Help is available

For free and confidential support 24/7, call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858.

What's new

Gambling is a popular entertainment among Australians. Over 80% of Australian adults engage in gambling of some kind, which is the highest rate of gambling in the world.

Gambling is also a significant public health issue, with around 80,000 to 160,000 (or 0.5 - 1.0%) of Australian adults experiencing significant problems from gambling and a further 250,000 to 350,000 (or 1.4 - 2.1% of adults) experiencing moderate risks that may make them vulnerable to problem gambling.

Australia's Gambling Environment:

Australians love a punt and new research shows we wager more, and lose more, than any other country in the world. But some people say this is just because we have the most opportunity to gamble, given the huge numbers of venues that provide some form of gambling.

The 2010 Productivity Commission's Inquiry into Gambling found that there are as many as 6,807 hotels, pubs and clubs providing gaming in Australia. There are at least 4700 lottery outlets. And there are 13 casinos with more being planned.

According to 2014 statistics Tabcorp Limited offers totalisator and fixed odds betting on racing and sporting events in approximately 2,800 TAB retail outlets in agencies, hotels, clubs, as well as on-course in Victoria and New South Wales, and via internet, mobile devices, phone and pay TV. Sky Racing also owned by Tabcorp, is available in approximately 2.6 million homes and 5,400 commercial outlets in Australia, covering 90,000 races per annum. There are approximately 3,600 Keno outlets in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, and approximately 6,200 Keno terminals

In the financial year of 2015-2016 Australians lost approximately $24 billion to gambling — more per capita than any other nation — with pokies by far the biggest contributor to those losses.

Gaming Machines

All states and territories in Australia have Electronic Gaming Machines (also known as gaming machines, EGMs, poker machines or 'pokies') available at licensed venues (with the exception of Western Australia which allows EGMs only at the casino and the ACT where Casino Canberra is not licensed to provide EGMs)

According to the World Count of Gaming Machines 2016, Australia has the sixth highest number of gambling machines in the world. Australia is estimated to have 197,122 electronic gaming machines (EGMs), which is 2.50% of the world's legally installed machines.

Around 600,000 Australians (4 per cent of the adult population) play on the 'pokies' at least weekly. While survey results vary, around 15 per cent of these regular players (95 000) are 'problem gamblers'. And their share of total spending on machines is estimated to range around 40 per cent.

The problems experienced by gamblers are as much a consequence of the technology of the games, their accessibility and the nature and conduct of venues, as they are a consequence of the traits of the gamblers themselves. NSW machines currently allow bets of up to $10,000 at a time. Current machines have up to 25 pay lines. In NSW the current max bet is $10 per spin.

Gambling in NSW:

New South Wales has a long history of gambling; Australia's first official horse racing meeting occurred in 1810 at Hyde Park in Sydney; the first official Australian lottery occurred in 1881 at the Sydney Cup; and registered clubs operated the first legal poker machines in Australia in 1956.

Approximately 95,800 of Australia's 'pokies' are in NSW, a state total beaten only by Nevada, which operated 181,109 gambling machines in 2014, and of course is home to Las Vagas. Between 1 December 2017 to 31 May 2018 NSW Clubs made a net profit of $1,945,161,625 (one billion, nine hundred forty-five million, one hundred sixty-one thousand, six hundred twenty-five dollars) and hotels made a net profit of $1,169,040,731 = one billion, one hundred sixty-nine million, forty thousand, seven hundred thirty-one dollars) from pokies alone.

The 2011 NSW Gambling Prevalence Survey found that the most popular gambling activity undertaken among the NSW adult population is lottery products (41%), followed by instant scratch tickets (28%), pokies/gaming machines (27%), horse/greyhound races (24%), Keno (14%), sports betting (8%), table games in a casino (7%), private card games for money (3%), bingo (3%) and casino or pokies-style games on the Internet (2%). A breakdown of the most popular gambling activities for the Central Coast and Hunter reigons can be found in the table below:

Gambling on the Central Coast

According to the latest figures from Liquor and Gaming NSW there are 4,046 poker machines in 39 clubs on the Central Coast, and 626 poker machines in 29 hotels; making a total of 4,672 poker machines on the Central Coast. That means 2.37% of the total number of poker machines in Australia are on the NSW Central Coast.

In the six month period from 1 December 2017 to 31 May 2018 Clubs on the Central Coast made a net profit of $105,317,922.40 (One hundred five million, three hundred seventeen thousand, nine hundred twenty-two dollars and forty cents) from pokies and Hotels made a net profit of $24,714,552 (twenty-four million, seven hundred fourteen thousand, five hundred fifty-two dollars.) [source - https://www.liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au/resources/gaming-machine-data]

The Central Coast has a higher prevalence of problem gambling than the NSW average. Young men between the ages of 18-24 living on the Central Coast are the biggest players of poker machines in NSW and are the highest risk group for problem gambling.

In 2008 Gambling Solutions carried out a survey of 200 young people aged from 13-24 and found that:

• 96% of people from 18-24 had gambled for money or possessions
• 62 % of those under 14 years old and 77 % of those aged up to 17 had gambled for money or items, including mobile phones and MP3 players
• 25.5% of 14-17 year olds and 55 % of 18-24 year olds had lost more than they had intended,
• and 6% under 18 had played a poker machine

Online Gambling Issues In Australia Today

Internet gambling in the Central Coast was the highest in NSW (5%). Although nearly invisible in official records, internet gambling appears to have grown rapidly, and spending could amount to around $800 million in the most recent year.