Australians lose more than anyone else Gambling at Casinos

Casino gambling statistics for 2016 have, once more, named Australians the ‘biggest losers‘ in the world. Of the $385 billion lost gambling at casinos, tracks, lotteries, gaming machines and online last year, the US was responsible for the largest amount overall, but Aussies lost the most per person.

Australia has a population of just 24 million, which pales in comparison to many countries like China, the US and even the remarkably smaller UK. But according to financial market data collected by London’s weekly publication of The Economist, throughout all twelve months of 2016, Australians lost an average of $990 per resident gambling at casinos.

That figure might not seem so staggering if it weren’t for the fact that the second highest loss per person was considerably lower at $650. That number belonged to citizens gambling at casinos in Singapore. The 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th biggest losers were residents of Ireland ($500), Finland ($425) and the US ($420) respectively.

The worldwide casino gambling data was gather by UK market intelligence firm H2 Gambling Capital. It included all forms of gambling, including regulated casinos, non-casino gaming machines, sportsbook and racebook betting, lotteries, online gambling and ‘other’.

Not surprisingly, nearly half of the $18.3 billion Australians lost last year was wagered on non-casino gaming machines, which include pokies at pubs, clubs and hotels across the nation.

As The Economist pointed out, “Australia was the first country to deregulate gambling, and it shows.”

2016 Worldwide Gambling Data by H2GC, photo Economist.com

US Leads Casino Gambling Industry

With a population of near 319 million, legalized gambling throughout most states, and two major gambling destinations – Las Vegas and Atlantic City – the United States had no trouble contributing to the highest overall gambling losses. American’s gave up $116.9 billion gambling in 2016.

China, where the bulk of the world’s population resides (1.375 billion), was responsible for the second highest gambling losses overall, coming in at $62.4 billion. That has much to do with the gambling mecca in Macau, but when you average out the losses – around $46 per resident – China doesn’t even make the top 15 list in terms of per person losses.

Oddly enough, Japan, where all casino gambling is prohibited, still managed to come in number three in terms of overall losses with $24.1 billion. Although gambling at casinos is still illegal, pachinko (similar to pokies) parlors, lottery and pari-mutuel wagering on horses and automotive sports took in the vast majority of Japanese losses. With a population of about 127 million, that equates to around $189 per resident – also too low to make the top 15 list.

That could change drastically, however, as Japan just passed a law to permit integrated casino resorts on the Pacific island. For now, the government is still hammering out taxation and how many casinos should be allowed to operate. In the meantime, major casino corporations are waiting with bated breath to put in exorbitant bids for those properties.

It’s been reported by industry analysts that, if Japan legalized gambling at casinos across the nation, it could generate as much as $25 billion in revenue per year.