Australia hit with $1.76B loss from expanding illegal offshore gambling market | AGB
Summary
Australia is seeing a sharp rise in illegal offshore online gambling that now accounts for more than a third of national online betting activity. According to a Responsible Wagering Australia report cited by AGB, the illegal market reached about $2.54 billion in 2024 and could swell to $3.25 billion by 2029. The growth has doubled since 2019 and is expected to cost the country nearly $1.76 billion in lost taxes and fees over the next five years. Key drivers include product bans that push players away from licensed operators, weak enforcement, and aggressive marketing and incentives from unlicensed sites. The illegal market also offers better odds and bonuses, undermining licensed bookmakers and posing risks to sporting integrity due to limited accountability.
Key Points
- Illegal offshore operators now represent over a third of Australia’s online gambling activity.
- The illegal market was estimated at $2.54bn in 2024 and may reach $3.25bn by 2029.
- Almost $1.76bn in taxes and fees are projected to be lost over the next five years because of the illegal market.
- Drivers include product bans, ineffective enforcement, and aggressive marketing by unlicensed operators offering superior odds and bonuses.
- The growth of illegal operators threatens licensed bookmakers’ revenue and raises concerns about sports integrity and lack of consumer protections.
Context and relevance
This trend matters beyond gambling operators. Lost tax revenue affects state and federal budgets, enforcement gaps show regulatory friction, and unmonitored betting increases risks of match manipulation and customer harm. For regulators, operators, affiliates and sports bodies, the shift points to a need for policy recalibration — whether that means better enforcement, smarter product rules, or targeted public awareness campaigns. The issue also sits within wider global patterns where regulatory constraints domestically push customers to offshore providers.
Author style
Punchy: this is a big one. The numbers are large, the trajectory is fast, and the consequences touch finance, regulation and sport. If you work in any part of the betting ecosystem — regulator, operator, affiliate or rights-holder — the details here are worth your attention.
Why should I read this?
Short version: Australia’s losing serious money and control. If you care about revenue, regulatory risk, or the integrity of sport, this is not just trivia — it’s a developing problem that changes who wins and who loses in the market. We’ve boiled the report down so you don’t have to read every page.
Source
Source: https://agbrief.com/news/24/11/2025/australia-online-gambling-over-a-third-now-illegal/
