The latest research from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found that more than one in 10 Australians has participated in online gambling activities at some point in the previous 6 months. The figure represents 11% of Australian citizens who took part in the research and is an increase from the 8% who reported to have taken part in online gambling activities in 2020.
The “Online gambling in Australia” snapshot was held in June last year as part of the “Communications and media in Australia” series. The survey also showed a rise in sports betting activities, with 8% of Australian residents placing wagers on racing or sports over the last 6 months. In comparison, the rate equalled 5% in 2020.
As revealed by the snapshot, in 2021 there was a more significant 3% increase in the number of adult Australians participating in online gambling, excluding lottery services. In comparison, in the period from 2017 to 2020 the percentage rate was kept stable around 7-8%, while in 2021 it rose to 11%. When it comes to the frequency of online gambling activities, the research found that the majority of adult Australian residents who were interviewed (44%) said they gambled online less often than monthly or never. About 15% of the respondents confirmed they have gambled every week, while another 14% confessed to having gambled several times a week. Only about 2% of the survey respondents said they have gambled several times a day.
The latest research in the levels of online gambling participation of Australians provides more detailed information about the impact that the coronavirus pandemic had on local residents’ online gambling habits. When it comes to gambling frequency in 2021, most participants in the research (77%) noted they gambled online with pretty much the same frequency as before the pandemic, while about 6% of the respondents said they gambled less. Higher frequency in online gambling was reported by about 16.5% of the adult Australians who took part in the research.
Sports betting and betting on horse and dog races were the most preferred gambling activities among Australian online bettors, with 57% and 55% of the gamblers having respectively placed bets on the two forms of gambling.
Separate Desktop Research Unveils Affiliate Marketing Services’ Impact on Online Gambling in Australia
Apart from the “Online gambling in Australia” snapshot, a desktop study into affiliate marketing operations that promote access to online gambling operations was also released. As revealed by the ACMA, the research found that commissions for affiliate marketing platforms for online gambling services are much higher than the ones promoting and facilitating other industries.
Furthermore, the study also noted that social media and streaming services, such as the American video live streaming service Twitch, are getting more popular among affiliate companies to target potential customers.
The additional desktop research supports the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s understanding of affiliate services that promote illegal online gambling. It offered information about how gambling affiliates operate across a range of online platforms, as well as a targeted review of recent literature regarding online gambling affiliate services.
- Author
Daniel Williams
