Abstract

Gambling harm remains a major public health issue in Australia. This report updates national prevalence estimates of gambling participation, at-risk gambling (PGSI 1+) and harm from others’ gambling, drawing on seven waves of the ANUpoll survey (2019–2026). Data from 2026 (n = 3,482) were analysed alongside previous waves to examine trends in gambling participation, activities, online and venue-based gambling, and demographic profiles.

Gambling participation has stabilised since 2023 at just over 60% of Australian adults gambling in 2026, following sharper declines during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic. The most common activities in 2026 were buying lottery tickets (41% of adult Australians), scratch tickets (19%) and raffle tickets (18%), followed by gambling on electronic gaming machines (EGMs; 16%) and race betting (12%).

At-risk gambling (PGSI 1+) affected around 17% of Australian adults. Following substantial declines in gambling participation and at-risk gambling during the COVID-19 pandemic, at-risk gambling has since stabilised at a higher level. Higher rates were associated with being male, younger age (18–34 years), living in single-parent or ‘other’ household types, unemployment, mid-level household incomes, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and more frequent gambling.

Online gambling remained more common than venue-based gambling (27%), with 35% of Australian adults gambling online at least half of the time. Online participation was highest for sports betting (90%), followed by race betting (71%) and lotteries (55%). Participation in illegal forms of online EGMs and casino table games has also increased since 2024. In each year from 2024 to 2026, people who gambled online were more likely to gamble at least monthly than those who gambled in venues. Online gambling was associated with being male, middle age (45–54 years), full-time employment, higher household income, more frequent gambling and higher rates of at-risk gambling.

Affected others: In 2026, 5.1% of Australian adults reported being negatively affected by another person’s gambling in the preceding 12 months. Higher rates were observed among younger adults (18–34 years), those living in single-parent or ‘other’ household types, those with mid-level household incomes, people from CALD backgrounds, and those who themselves gambled at risk.

The findings suggest that, following several years of substantial change, gambling participation and at-risk gambling have settled into a relatively stable pattern, with at-risk gambling remaining at elevated levels. The continued prominence of online gambling, its association with gambling risk, and the substantial number of Australians affected by others’ gambling reinforce the need for sustained regulatory and public health responses, particularly as new restrictions on online gambling advertising and marketing take effect from January 2027.

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