Gambling is a critical but ignored cost-of-living pressure for families. This report examines what has happened to national, household and individual expenditure on gambling during Australia’s cost-of-living crisis. 

The report notes the policy vacuum on mitigating the cost-of-living impacts of gambling. It calls for the government to implement in full the 31 recommendations of the Murphy parliamentary report, You win some, you lose more: online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm which called for a full ban on all gambling advertising, a ban on inducements and the establishment of a national gambling regulator.

Key findings

• Gambling losses are a bigger drain on the household budget than the cost of electricity and gas while gambling losses are growing at a rate faster than the cost of housing.
• Australian households spent $3,045 on gambling in 2022-23 more than they spent on essential utilities like electricity, gas, and other fuels ($2,821).
• Gambling expenditure increased by 18.2%, more than expenditure growth on education (17.5%), housing (14.2%) and three times faster than growth in electricity, gas and other fuel expenditures.
• There has been a 25% spike in gambling losses on pre-pandemic losses.
• Gambling losses have risen 6.8% while real wages have declined 5.7%.
• Inflation across all goods and services rose 16% while gambling losses spiked up to 25%.
• Australia’s annual gambling losses ($31.5bn) now eclipse what governments spend on aged care ($28.3bn) and rivals that spent on the National Disability Insurance Scheme ($35.2bn).
• Gambling losses amount to $1,527 for every adult in Australia with devastating financial impact on families.