Sports betting low on Australians’ betting choices

The latest Gambling Activity in Australia study from the Australian Gambling Research Centre reveals some interesting facts regarding Aussie punter preferences when it comes to having a flutter…and contrary to the barrage of negative local media reports, sports betting is not high on the list.

Here are a few cliff notes:

* Around 38 percent of Australians (that’s almost 7 million individuals) gamble in some way at least once a month.

* They spend an estimated A$ 8.6 billion a month in doing so;

* Lotteries top the list by preference at 76.2 percent, chased by instant scratch cards (22 percent), land pokies (20.8 percent) and race betting (14.3 percent);

* Sports betting is way down the list and does not even crack double digits at 8.4 percent; in fact sports betting garners comprise just 3.3 percent of gamblers on the overall participation scale;

* Keno is likewise low down on just 8.1 percent.

* Compared on the basis of the national population, sports betting punters were found to be more likely to be better educated, are permanently employed and have decent incomes that preclude them from needing government social security handouts;

* Sports betting gamblers typically spend way below the national average of A$1,272 at A$1,032 (poker players rank highest at A$1,758);

* Sports bettors tend to have a significantly lower propensity for becoming problem gamblers than punters who like to play poker and casino table players. However, those sports gamblers who become problem gamblers tend to spend considerably more;

* The national percentage of problem gamblers is at 1.1 percent, more or less in line with the international norm, although the study did find that almost 8 percent of Aussies could be “at risk” of becoming problem gamblers (the criteria for arriving at this figure is not clear.)

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