Australia is often quick to borrow a clever idea from elsewhere – flat whites, solar panels, even reality cooking shows – but should we take a leaf from India’s latest playbook and crack down on online gambling?
India, in a move causing seismic tremors throughout the digital gaming world, is preparing to introduce a bill that would ban online games played with money. Their aim? To stem the psychological and financial harm games can inflict – harm that echoes across Australia’s own digital landscape.
The sheer scale of what’s at stake is staggering. In India, the online real-money gaming sector is valued at $US3.6billion ($A5.6billion), set to double in the next few years, with companies like Dream11 boasting $A12billion valuations. But it’s not just cricket-mad subcontinental fans lining up their fantasy teams – Aussies are some of the world’s most enthusiastic punters, and our online gambling industry is now a behemoth.
Australians spend more per capita on gambling than any country in the world. Every day, it’s estimated that Australians lose more than $A65million across all forms of gambling – which, thanks to the explosive growth of online apps, now includes everything from instant sports betting to casino-style games available 24/7 from the comfort of your couch. In 2022-23, total Australian online gambling expenditure surpassed $A10billion, and that figure is rising sharply every year.
What’s changed? The smartphone revolution means your local TAB is always just a tap away. Gambling apps fill the time between train stops, during the footy, even at morning tea. Platforms, following the model of their Indian counterparts, use celebrity endorsements and targeted marketing to hook punters – making it easier than ever to place “just one more” bet.
But in a year when “cost of living” is as much a national obsession as cricket, it’s hard to reconcile these numbers with the stories filling our headlines: families skipping meals to make mortgage repayments, retirees cutting back on prescription medicine, and a generation of renters bunkering down for another cold snap. Against this backdrop, it’s plain to see why critics – and families – are alarmed. When billions are being wagered on a roll of the dice or a kicked goal, how are everyday Australians supposed to resist?
Much like India, Australia faces the real danger of gambling addiction – a condition that can devastate lives, families and entire communities. The rise of “in-play” betting and micro-wagers, enabled by fast, addictive design features, has made it easier to lose track of spending (and time), leading to spirals of debt and shame.
India’s draft bill doesn’t mince words: it targets not only the offer of such games, but also their promotion and any form of assistance in their operation. Under the proposal, running, aiding, or even promoting an online money game could mean a jail term of up to three years. Proponents argue that it’s the only way to blunt the addictive power of these platforms. Critics warn that such bans risk driving punters underground or fueling black market alternatives.
Calls for stricter regulation here have grown louder. Some want mandatory loss limits, enforced breaks, or outright bans on certain forms of advertising – particularly during prime-time sporting events, when kids are watching. Others argue for more robust self-exclusion schemes, or for requiring gambling companies to do more to identify and support problem gamblers.
With state and federal governments currently reviewing online gambling laws, there’s likely to be more debate ahead. But what’s clear is that the line between harmless flutter and actual harm is becoming harder to determine.
For anyone worried their gambling might be getting out of hand – or for loved ones seeing the signs – a range of confidential and free resources are available:
There’s no shame in seeking help – just as there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a flutter in moderation. But with billions on the line, both emotionally and financially, perhaps it’s time Australia asks itself a hard question: how much risk are we willing to wager on the digital roll of the dice? If we don’t, as India’s tough new bill suggests, the stakes could keep getting higher.
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