Australians gamble less
19th May, 2008
A new Roy Morgan study shows that, generally, people in Australia are significantly gambling less than they did six years ago.
In December, 2002, 73 per cent of Australians were gambling. Meanwhile, only 66 per cent were gambling in March of this year, according to the report by Roy Morgan Research.
Poker-machine takings decreased by about 35 per cent, but many believe it is due in large part to the impact of smoking bans. Prior to the ban, poker machines had been seeing a steady increase in revenue.
Although gambling is down in casinos, online betting has seen an increase in the past five years. Australians betting on the Internet was at 1.7 per cent in December, 2007, and in 2002 the number was 1.3 per cent.
The decrease in gambling has even affected the sale of lottery tickets. In 2002, 64 per cent were playing the lotto, but the number is down to 58 per cent this year.
However, the per cent of people who said they gambling one to three times a year has gone up two points, to 57 per cent this year.
Other studies have shown that there is still a consistency in the amount of money being gambled.
“But while the total number of people gambling has gone down, the amount being gambled is going up,” said Nick Xenophon, No Pokies senator-elect.
The Roy Morgan study showed that there was a decline in gambling across all lifestyle groups, age and income, which means it could not be link to any single sect of society. Instead, the study concluded there was “a broad cultural and lifestyle change within Australia.”
By Michael
