Looking at Australia’s online gambling market in 2025, it feels less like a sector in flux and more like one that has settled into a routine. Not a static routine, but a familiar one. Growth is still there, yet it no longer arrives in sudden jumps.

Most of the change now happens quietly. Through mobile screens, payment flows, and policy updates that rarely make headlines, but steadily reshape how revenue moves across the industry.

Online Gambling Has Found Its Pace

Recent market research places Australia’s online gambling market at around USD 5.5 billion in 2025, with projections pointing toward roughly USD 9.0 billion by 2034. That suggests growth just under 6% per year, which is solid, though far from explosive.

What makes this interesting is not the percentage itself, but where it comes from. Land-based gambling formats appear largely mature. Analysts tend to describe their growth in low single digits, if at all. Online platforms, by comparison, continue to absorb a larger share of total gambling revenue simply by being easier to access and easier to measure.

Casino-style games play a central role here. Sports betting still spikes around major events, but casino products generate more consistent spending across the calendar. That consistency is what keeps them at the centre of most revenue discussions.

Regulation Is No Longer Just a Constraint

The relationship between regulation and revenue has changed.

Across Australian states and territories, point-of-consumption and betting operations taxes are now standard. Effective rates vary, but for online wagering they commonly sit somewhere in the mid-teens to around 20% of gross gaming revenue, depending on jurisdiction.

At the same time, licensing requirements have expanded. Reporting obligations, identity checks, and harm-prevention tools are now expected rather than debated. This adds cost for operators, but it also creates a clearer operating environment. For governments, online gambling revenue has become easier to track than many offline formats ever were.

Several state revenue offices now speak of record or near-record gambling tax receipts. In most cases, analysts link this to digital migration rather than a sudden increase in gambling participation. The activity has moved online; it has not necessarily multiplied.

Technology Changed How Revenue Is Earned

The technical foundations of online gambling matter more than they used to.

Mobile devices account for roughly 80% of online wagers in Australia, a figure that reflects everyday habits rather than deliberate choices. Gambling fits into gaps between other activities. It no longer requires planning.

Payments tell a similar story. Digital wallets now represent about 31% of e-commerce transactions in Australia, and they dominate online gambling deposits and withdrawals. Faster transactions reduce hesitation. They make short, repeat interactions easier.

There is also a smaller group of users interested in alternative payment methods, including crypto. Most operators approach this carefully, weighing demand against compliance obligations.

Player Behaviour Has Shifted in Subtle Ways

Survey data from the Australian Gambling Research Centre shows that around one in three gamblers now uses online channels. That does not mean most Australians gamble. It does suggest that, for those who do, online platforms are no longer secondary.

What stands out is how people move between products. Sports betting, live markets, and casino games often sit inside the same account. From a revenue perspective, this matters more than headline user numbers. It raises lifetime value without relying on constant marketing spend.

Sessions themselves tend to be short. Individually, they look insignificant. Over time, they add up.

Why Smaller Platforms Still Play a Role

Despite consolidation, the market is not dominated by a handful of brands alone.

Industry reports consistently describe a crowded landscape that includes mid-sized and niche operators. These platforms usually avoid competing on scale. Instead, they simplify. Fewer games. Cleaner mobile layouts. Faster access.

For some Australian players, a familiar platform such as the pokies115 fits naturally into this pattern. It functions less as a destination and more as a casual entertainment option, used briefly and often rather than intensively. That usage style mirrors broader shifts across the market.

Risk Controls Have Become Structural

Responsible gambling tools are now part of the financial architecture of the sector.

The national BetStop self-exclusion register has recorded more than 35,000 registrations, with over 26,000 active exclusions. Participation is mandatory for licensed operators, and compliance is closely monitored.

These tools can limit short-term revenue, but they also reduce regulatory risk and help stabilise long-term performance. From a business perspective, they are no longer optional.

Compliance costs remain a challenge, especially for smaller operators. Those that perform best tend to focus on efficiency and retention rather than rapid expansion.

What the Outlook Suggests

Forecasts pointing toward around USD 9.0 billion by 2034 suggest a market defined by steady growth rather than disruption. In Australia, the priorities for operators and investors are becoming clearer with each year.

They are not especially dramatic:

• products that work well on mobile
  
• payments that remove friction without creating risk
  
• compliance built into daily operations
  
• and a focus on long-term value per user

By 2025, the shift is largely complete. Online gambling continues to outpace land-based formats, not because it is new, but because it fits how people already use digital services.