A rise in risky gambling is increasing the urgency of calls for a ban on sports betting ads, with data showing punters are ditching physical venues for “unlimited access” to online platforms.

Australia National University figures published on Monday showed that while total rates were steady over the past 12 months, the number of Australians undertaking risky gambling rose 17 per cent – from 11.6 per cent to 13.6 per cent.

It comes amid an explosion in online gambling ads since Covid, particularly around sport, with global gambling giants investing hundreds of millions to cash in on a digital betting gold rush.

Aino Suomi, director of ANU’s centre for gambling research, says all that advertising is working; more people are turning to online gambling platforms, where betting is more frequent and riskier.

“Online is completely exploding,” she said.

“Online gambling advertising is a completely unregulated space at the moment … we need the federal government to take a really strong stance on this.”

Tim Costello, spokesperson for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, said the figures expose how sports betting ads are creating a new generation of gamblers.

He wants the federal government to respond to a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry last year that called for a comprehensive ban on online betting ads that would be phased in over three years.

“The only people who don’t want gambling advertising banned are the vested interests – the gambling companies, the AFL, NRL and some of the broadcasters,” Costello said.

“Will democracy prevail, or will vested interests prevail?”

Government sits on calls for ban

The government has been sitting on recommendations that backed a ban since June last year, with powerful broadcasting and sports interests strongly opposing a comprehensive crackdown.

Suomi said online gambling must be considered one of the main gambling platforms alongside in-venue gambling like poker machines (pokies) by policymakers.

“This is the first time, on a national level, that gambling online has surpassed gambling in venues,” Suomi said.

Suomi said that technology, particularly smartphones, makes online gambling trickier to regulate and more difficult for addicts to kick because it allows for constant access.

“We all have devices now. They [gambling advertisers] come to us everywhere, even in our bedrooms,” Suomi explained.

“Your access to gambling online is always in your hand. It makes it impossible for those who experience real problems.

“Stopping and taking breaks becomes a lot more difficult, and there’s very little harm minimisation online.”

Younger Australians targeted

Younger Australians still gamble at lower rates than older people, but they’re far more likely to gamble online when they do.

Costello said that gambling giants are targeting young people as a vulnerable cohort that is already using their phones in many other aspects of their lives.

“The action for younger people has moved onto a smartphone with massive advertising messaging,” Costello said.

“It’s quite a devastating shift.”

“This is the first generation of parents that have had to explain to their kids watching their NFL or AFL teams play what a multi is.”

Suomi added that policymakers still haven’t adequately addressed a concerning rise in gambling among very young cohorts through video games, with the industry cashing in on loot boxes and crates.

“Loot boxes or crates in games aren’t considered gambling in that regulatory sense,” Suomi said.

“It’s a completely wild west situation.”