A study out of Australia shows an alarming rate of problem gambling among people who bet at least once a month on sports or races.
More than 70% of people surveyed who are “regular” online bettors reported experiencing harm.
That’s according to a February 2025 report from the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) at the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
A total of 2,603 people who bet online at least monthly were surveyed in 2023 as part of the Australian National Gambling Trends Study (NGTS), now in its second year.
Harms, as assessed via the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), include:
- Feeling guilty and stressed about gambling
- Borrowing money or selling things to fund gambling
- Chasing losses
The Australia sports betting study findings are similar to a 2024 study out of Massachusetts. The U.S. study found that more than half of monthly gamblers of all types (online and in person) experience problems.
U.S. sports betting addiction statistics show that 30-40% of online sports bettors experience problems.
Australians not using betting addiction tools
The Australian Gambling Research Centre found that many harmed sports gamblers are not using addiction mitigation tools.
Only half use any kind of consumer protection measure. such as reading activity statements or setting spend limits.
Of this group, more than 30% reported gambling to “get ahead financially.”
Of those classified at high risk of harm, 40% are likely to be experiencing serious mental illness.
The 18-34-year-old age group had the largest proportion of moderate or high-risk gamblers, compared to older age groups.
Those younger bettors in the high-risk category had a median weekly spend of $300 across all forms of gambling, compared to $60 a week for all 18-24-year-old bettors.
Denial about gambling problems?
The Australia sports betting study had another concerning data.
Research fellow at the AGRC, Dr. Gabriel Tillman, said it’s particularly concerning that 51% of the bettors in the study experiencing harm were not using any consumer protection measures.
“Many regular bettors we surveyed who were experiencing harm did not consider themselves ‘problem gamblers’ and so felt no need to take measures to reduce their gambling,” Tillman said.
“This indicates a disconnect between the intention of consumer protection measures and how they are perceived. While designed to be preventative – something all online bettors should consider using, regardless of their level of gambling – many of those we surveyed saw them as reactionary. In other words, only useful for people already experiencing significant harm.”
Of the range of consumer protection measures available, 20% of the regular online bettors experiencing harms surveyed indicated they access activity statements, followed by 19% setting a deposit limit, 16% setting a bet limit, and 15% unsubscribing from direct marketing.
Less than 10% indicated they either temporarily or permanently self-excluded.
Australia’s measures to protect online bettors were being reviewed as of 2025.
The AGRC was evaluating the National Consumer Protection Framework (NCPF) for online wagering on behalf of the Department of Social Services.
Related: Australian Sportsbook Used 20 Players for Half of Revenue
Discover more from GamblingHarm.org
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
