Australians will wager almost $1 billion online this year

[The Buzz]

A report in The Courier-Mail says that Australian residents will wager almost $1 billion online this year. A leading gambling researcher in the country said young people were being caught up in the boom.

From The Courier-Mail:

"It has been estimated that Australians will spend about $968 million in 2010 on illegal (overseas) sites,'' gambling researcher Dr Sally Gainsbury told the National Association of Gambling Studies conference.

Dr Gainsbury, from Southern Cross University's Centre of Gambling Education and Research, said internet gambling worldwide was forecast to grow in value from $21 billion in 2008 to $30 billion by 2012.

"It is highly accessible, fast and can be played alone at home with just a credit card and unregulated sites provide few player-protection measures," she said.

[Gabriel_LCP]

Wow thats a lot of mulaaa! I wonder how they rank with other countries

[Louis - Income Access]

Can't remember the source, but I remember reading somewhere that per capita Australia is the highest betting country in the world.

[davenewgates]

It's really hard to stop online gambling, illegal or not. Australians are really inclined into them.

[shortow]

I always wonder when they come out with figures like this how they have any idea at all.

As Dr Gainsbury herself points out the spend is on offshore sites, none of whom would report their Australian source earnings. It's got to be a total thumb in the air guess...

Makes the rather precise estimate of $968 mil interesting...

I recon $968 million give or take 500 million would be a more honest estimate

[Lee-Ann]

This is a massive opportunity for UK based affiliates wanting to expand their business in other english speaking regions. I'd encourage taking a look at trying to target / cater for this market within your sites as it's highly profitable and "pokies" are an easy cross sell from Sportsbook too.

[wagerjunction]

Indeed, it would be useless to let such an opportunity to go to waste - if the report is reliable.

I also do wonder though where these figures come from and to what extent they can be trusted.

[JoeAdams]

Due to the high accessibility of online casino, even teenagers and students are also getting involved into it and perhaps that will be the major problem here.

[davenewgates]

This is a massive opportunity for UK based affiliates wanting to expand their business in other english speaking regions. I'd encourage taking a look at trying to target / cater for this market within your sites as it's highly profitable and "pokies" are an easy cross sell from Sportsbook too.

Right, Australians are really some good catch for them.