Key points:
-Statistics from BetStop Q1 2024/ 25 show New South Wales (NSW) had the highest number of sign-ups in the quarter
- Almost 50% of sign-ups to the register were from those 30 and under
BetStop, Australia’s national self-exclusion register, has reported its registration numbers, age of registrants and other statistics for Q1 2024/25 (the three-month period ending 30 September).
In total, 4,521 people registered to the BetStop service, down 11.1% quarter-on-quarter and 39.7% year-on-year. Since the launch of the service, a total of 30,493 people have signed up to the register.
Source: Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
Breaking these figures down by location, NSW saw the highest number of registrants at 1,482, down 7.3% quarter-on-quarter and 34.7% year-on-year. This was followed by Victoria with 1,173 registrants, down from 1,321 last quarter and 2,007 this time last year.
Across the board, all eight jurisdictions have seen registration numbers decrease year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter. This could be due to several factors, including a decrease in the need for registration as all necessary registrants are already signed up and an increase in regulation across the jurisdictions.
Some examples of this during the quarter include the introduction of Responsible Gambling Officers (RGOs) in NSW in July; individuals who monitor and support gaming machine players in pubs and clubs where more than 20 machines are present. This measure was followed up on by Liquor & Gaming NSW at the end of September when the authority launched a new compliance operation to ensure licensed venues were working under the new rule.
Good to know: BetStop was launched on 21 August 2023
Source: ACMA
Looking at the age of registrants, of the 30,493 total, 15,007, or 49%, were aged 30 and under, with 31 to 40-year-olds accounting for 9,219, or 30%, of the total registrants.
Again, a number of factors can explain this. One may be the difference in technological understanding between younger and older generations, with those aged 60+ (who account for just 3% of BetStop registrants) being less likely to be aware of the service and how to access it. Secondly, young people typically have a lower income than older people, making it important for them to manage spending responsibly. This was reflected in recent statistics from Swedish iGaming players, which showed significantly higher rates of national exclusion among lower-income individuals compared to higher-income individuals.
Source: ACMA
Looking at the length of exclusions, 39%, or 12,081, were for a period between three months and two years. This was followed closely behind with lifetime exclusions, which reached 11,839 individuals. 5,098, or 17%, were excluded for three months, while 4%, or 1,074 individuals, are self-excluded for two to five years.
The reason for such high lifetime ban rates is complex. However, it is notable that a September Queensland Treasury report found that Australian gambling losses reached AU$32bn (US$21.57bn) for the 2022/23 fiscal year, with Alliance for Gambling Reforms CEO Martin Thomas saying: “Australians lose more to gambling than any other nation in the world because we have a grossly inadequate regulatory regime in which the gambling industry has been allowed to operate virtually unchecked causing devastation to individuals, families and communities.”
Perhaps this “inadequate” regulation, combined with cases of operators sending ads and taking bets from players with closed accounts, may factor into this.