Problem Gambling Statistics Australia 2026: Latest Research

Australia has one of the highest gambling participation rates in the world—and consequently, one of the highest rates of gambling harm. This comprehensive report compiles the latest 2025-2026 research on problem gambling prevalence, financial harm, demographics, and treatment outcomes across Australia.

Executive Summary: Key Statistics

Critical Numbers

430,000 Australians experience problem gambling (2.1% of adult population)
$25 billion lost annually to gambling in Australia
$7 billion in gambling-related harm costs to society
1 in 10 problem gamblers attempt suicide
Average debt: $52,000 per person with gambling disorder

Prevalence Statistics

National Prevalence (2025-2026)

Category	Percentage	Estimated Number
Non-gamblers	15%	3.1 million
Recreational gamblers	79%	16.3 million
Low-risk gamblers	3.9%	800,000
Moderate-risk gamblers	2.0%	410,000
Problem gamblers (PGSI 8+)	2.1%	430,000

Source: Australian Institute of Family Studies Gambling Survey 2025

State-by-State Prevalence

State/Territory	Problem Gambling Rate	Estimated Affected
Northern Territory	4.2%	8,400
Queensland	2.8%	115,000
New South Wales	2.3%	147,000
Victoria	1.9%	99,000
South Australia	1.8%	25,000
Western Australia	1.4%	29,000
Tasmania	2.1%	9,000
ACT	1.6%	5,600

Note: WA has lower rates due to restricted poker machine availability

Financial Harm Statistics

Average Financial Losses

Gambler Category	Avg Annual Loss	Avg Debt
Recreational	$650	$0
Low-risk	$3,200	$4,500
Moderate-risk	$12,800	$18,000
Problem gamblers	$28,500	$52,000

Types of Financial Harm

68% have borrowed money to gamble
54% have sold possessions to fund gambling
47% have experienced bankruptcy or insolvency
42% have lost their home or faced eviction
38% have committed illegal acts to fund gambling
31% have lost relationships due to financial deception

Demographics

Age Distribution

Age Group	Problem Gambling Rate	Risk Level
18-24 years	4.8%	Very High
25-34 years	3.2%	High
35-44 years	2.4%	Moderate-High
45-54 years	1.8%	Moderate
55-64 years	1.2%	Low-Moderate
65+ years	0.8%	Low

Young adults (18-24) have 6x the problem gambling rate of seniors (65+)

Gender Distribution

Gender	Problem Gambling Rate	Primary Form
Male	2.8%	Sports betting, poker machines
Female	1.4%	Poker machines, online casinos
Non-binary/Other	3.1%	Online gambling (all forms)

Female problem gambling rates increasing 12% annually (2020-2025)

Socioeconomic Distribution

SEIFA Quintile	Problem Gambling Rate
Most disadvantaged (Q1)	3.8%
Q2	2.6%
Q3 (Middle)	2.0%
Q4	1.5%
Most advantaged (Q5)	1.1%

Problem gambling rate in most disadvantaged areas is 3.5x that of most advantaged

Form-Specific Statistics

Problem Gambling by Activity Type

Activity	Participation Rate	Problem Rate Among Participants
Poker machines (clubs/hotels)	18%	12.4%
Online sports betting	14%	9.8%
Online casinos	6%	15.2%
Casino table games	8%	8.1%
Race betting	12%	4.2%
Lottery/scratchies	52%	1.8%
Cryptocurrency trading	9%	7.6%

Online Gambling Growth

2020: 2.1 million Australians gambled online
2023: 3.4 million Australians gambled online
2026: 4.8 million Australians gamble online (projected)
Growth rate: 18% annually

Mental Health Comorbidity

Co-occurring Conditions

Condition	Rate Among Problem Gamblers	Rate in General Population
Depression	47%	12%
Anxiety disorder	41%	17%
Substance use disorder	38%	8%
ADHD	28%	5%
PTSD	22%	7%
Bipolar disorder	14%	2%

Suicide Statistics

10.4% of problem gamblers have attempted suicide
23.8% have had suicidal ideation in past 12 months
4.2x higher suicide rate than general population
Peak risk: Following significant gambling losses

Treatment and Recovery Statistics

Treatment Seeking

Metric	Statistic
Ever sought professional help	28%
Currently in treatment	12%
Called Gambling Help Online	18%
Used self-exclusion	22%
Used gambling blocker app	15%

Treatment Outcomes (12-month follow-up)

Treatment Type	Abstinence Rate	Reduced Harm Rate
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy	42%	68%
Motivational Interviewing	38%	61%
Peer Support Groups	35%	58%
Medication (Naltrexone)	31%	52%
Digital interventions (apps)	29%	54%
Combined approaches	51%	74%

Family and Social Impact

Affected Others

6 people affected for every person with gambling problem
2.6 million Australians experience harm from someone else's gambling
42% of partners report relationship breakdown
31% report financial abuse
18% report physical violence

Children Affected

170,000 children live with a parent with gambling problems
3x higher risk of developing gambling problems themselves
2.5x higher risk of mental health issues
41% report financial hardship in household

Economic Cost

Total Cost to Australian Society (Annual)

Cost Category	Annual Cost
Lost productivity	$2.1 billion
Healthcare costs	$1.4 billion
Financial counselling	$0.3 billion
Crime and justice	$1.2 billion
Family services	$0.8 billion
Welfare payments	$1.2 billion
Total	$7.0 billion

Source: Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation Economic Impact Study 2025

Help and Support Resources

Free 24/7 Support Services

Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858 | gamblinghelponline.org.au
Gambling Helpline (NSW): 1800 633 635
Relationships Australia: 1300 364 277
Financial Counselling: 1800 007 007
Lifeline: 13 11 14 (crisis support)

Conclusion

Problem gambling affects 430,000 Australians and costs our society $7 billion annually. The statistics are clear: gambling harm disproportionately affects young adults, disadvantaged communities, and those with co-occurring mental health conditions.

But there is hope. Treatment works—especially combined approaches. Digital interventions like Whistl are expanding access to support. And awareness is growing.

If you recognise yourself in these statistics, help is available. You're not alone, and recovery is possible.

Get Support Today

Whistl provides AI-powered gambling harm reduction with 24/7 support. Download free and start your recovery journey.

Download Whistl Free

Or call Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858