Australian gamblers lost record money
Gambling losses in Australia have reached US$18.3 billion over the last year and an all-time high.
Australia.- Australians have lost a record amount of money to gambling after reaching US$18.3 billion, the government revealed. Losses were driven mainly by the US$9.1 million lost to poker machines at pubs and clubs across the country, while casinos reached US$ 3.9 billion, racing US$2.2 billion and Lotto US$1.44 billion.
Gamblers merely lost US$846k to Sports betting despite the expanding popularity of online and app-based wagering but still jumped 13 per cent year-on-year.
The Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR), an anti-pokies lobby group, urged the government to take action after the record losses and said: “Whilst sports betting is top of mind with the advertising deluge, the latest national figures once again confirm that the pokies are easily the biggest contributor to Australia’s tragic status as the world’s biggest gamblers.”
According to AGR spokesman Tim Costello, Australia has lost more money gambling per capita than any other country, as gambling losses per resident were estimated to be nearly US$762 during H2 2017.
Mr Costello said Australia lost more money gambling per capita than any other country. Data from global consultancy H2 Gambling Capital puts Australia’s total gambling losses per resident adult at about $1000 a year, the highest amount in the world.
“The best that can be said about the latest national gambling statistics is that at least the 2014-15 growth rate of 7.7 percent to US$17.3 billion has slowed to an increase of 3.9 percent,” Mr Costello added.
