Australians spend more than $1,635 on gambling

A new report from the Grattan Institute, titled "Better Bet: How Australia Should Prevent Gambling Harm," reveals that Australia leads the world in gambling expenditure, with an average spend of $1,635 per person.

The report addresses the growing concern of gambling addiction, which social scientists warn could escalate into an epidemic. It underscores the failures of past government attempts to implement bans, resulting in Australians losing an alarming $24 billion to gambling during the 2020-21 period.

Data from 2022 indicates that approximately 8% of Australians lost significant amounts to gambling within just one month, with online betting losses increasing from $3.6 billion in 2008-09 to $5.8 billion in 2020-21.

The think tank urges the government to take decisive action against this gambling crisis by promptly banning gambling and betting advertisements. Additionally, it recommends imposing limits on bet sizes to help reduce the adverse impacts of gambling addiction in Australia.