AUSSIE GAMBLING SET TO GROW 3.3 PERCENT THIS YEAR

04/06/2012 : AUSSIE GAMBLING SET TO GROW 3.3 PERCENT THIS YEAR
 
But poker remains the favourite…
 
A survey by IBIS World has revealed that the gambling sector in Australia is set to grow by 3.3 percent in 2012, with the betting industry earning approximately A$22.5 billion in revenue, based on an average of A$1,265 wagering spend per person.
 
But according to gambling experts, poker remains the primary money-spinner for the industry, and is projected to make up 60.2 percent of total customer spending.
 
The online sector has boosted business, giving punters the opportunity to access online as well as live poker tournaments, along with casino games played in the comfort of their own homes, or whilst on the move using mobile devices.
 
The IBIS World report also revealed that sports betting is the fastest growing sector in the gambling industry. Although Aussie sport wagering still makes up only around 1.6 percent of total gaming revenue, it is growing at a faster rate than horse racing, slot machines, and lotteries.
 
The report suggests that increased marketing spend during the AFL and NRL seasons, a growing online accessibility, and the normalisation of taking a bet during a sports event has fuelled the growth of sports betting.
 
Sally Gainsbury, from the centre for gambling, education and research at Southern Cross University, believes that betting is now synonymous with sport. She points out that the prominence of new technology, such as the rising penetration of smartphones, enables people to place a bet anywhere.
 
"There's been so much marketing it has allowed online gambling companies to really target sporting events and sporting fans. So now on TV when you see someone score a try in the corner of a field, there's a Centrebet post that they are knocking over," she said.