Nearly one in five Australians are gambling at risky levels — the highest level in six years — according to the Australian National University (ANU).

The latest national gambling survey found 19.4 per cent adults reported harmful gambling in the past year, measured by the Problem Gambling Severity Index.

Lead author Associate Professor Aino Suomi said that while gambling has decreased over the past 15 years, gambling harm has intensified:

“Fewer people now gamble, but many more do so at risky levels. This has coincided with a huge spike in online gambling – more than half of all gambling in Australia is now happening online.

“This is accelerating the pace at which gambling is moving into the home. Online gambling is clearly related to more risky gambling, more frequent gambling and psychological distress.”

Online gambling attracts a different group of people than traditional forms of gambling. 

“They’re generally young and have a higher likelihood of full-time employment and higher income,” Associate Professor Suomi said.

“Males aged between 25 and 34 with a trade certificate or diploma who were employed full-time, and in the highest household income bracket, were more likely to gamble online.

Lottery tickets remains the most popular form of gambling (41.3 per cent), followed by scratch and raffle tickets, electronic gambling machines, and betting on races. Sports betting increased from 4.7 per cent in 2024 to 7 per cent, and had the highest rate of online gambling. Illegal online products like pokies and casino table games also doubled since last year.

“These online participation rates reflect the high availability of legal online gambling in Australia,” Professor Suomi said.

Gambling harm — either from the individual’s own gambling, or another person’s — was concentrated in younger groups, with lower income. 

“This is the first time we’ve also seen gambling risk being heightened in families with children, showing that gambling harm is now present in family homes,” Professor Suomi said.

The full Gambling participation in Australia 2025 report is available on the ANU Centre for Social Policy Research (POLIS) website.  Photo: Jack Fox/ANU