How Much Does The Average Person Gamble

How much does the average person gamble in different countries? We answer that question by providing statistical data on gambling expenses.

average expenses on gambling
How Much Does The Average Person Gamble

Nowadays, gambling has become legal in different ways and in more states. With the increasing popularity of sports betting, fantasy sports, and online betting, there are more ways to gamble than ever. You probably want to know how much money an average person spends on gambling. To answer that, read this article and find out for yourself.

How Much Does the Average Person Spend on Gambling?

Gambling expenditure

U.S. Casino Players

A lot of people think about gambling as sinful or ill-advised. In most strict U.S. states, gambling is banned and illegal in some or all forms due to moral objections. However, in other states, U.S. online casinos are permitted and even encouraged because profits from lotteries and taxes on casinos add hundreds of millions of dollars to state funds where gambling is legalized. In 2016 alone, states that permit gambling garnered $35.1 billion, which immensely helped balance their state liability.

24/7 Wall St. studied the lottery spending data from American Gaming Association and the U.S. Census Bureau's commercial casino spending data to know which states spend the least and most on gambling. According to this study, the average American adult spends approximately $261 on lottery and casinos yearly. However, this amount is not spread out evenly. Every adult resident in Las Vegas, Nevada, rolled almost $5,000 into the state through gambling, ensuring a steady revenue for casinos. Meanwhile, in Hawaii and Utah, gambling is banned by state law. Hence, residents from these states cannot spend any money on legally taxed and operated gambling sites and casinos.

Canadian Casino Players

Unlike their North American neighbor, Canada has profited from its liberal gambling approach. This North American country is also a center for several software providers and online gambling operators. With the help of this blend of regulation and innovation, the Canadian industry is one of the top gambling areas around the globe.

According to Canadian Partnership for Responsible Gambling, a recent study shows that 76-79% of adult Canadians participated in gambling. Meanwhile, in Ontario, approximately 6-6.5% of adults participated in casino table games, and 16-26% used casino slots. The prevalence of moderate-risk gamblers in Ontario was between 2.0-3.4%, and problem gamblers were between 0.4- 0.8%. Every year, the betting industry in Canada is approximated to generate more than 15.5 billion dollars.

Here's an average expenditure of every Canadian player per casino visit:

  • Visit a casino bar = CA$25 ($19)
  • Play table games like Roulette/Craps = CA$50 ($38)
  • Play slots = CA$50 ($38)
  • Play card games like Poker = CA$53 ($40)
  • Play card games like Blackjack = CA$50 ($38)

UK Casino Players

The UK is undoubtedly an excellent gambling nation - from the overall market size to the number of betting outlets available. The UK has displayed some remarkable numbers in recent years. In terms of regulation, courtesy of the , the United Kingdom is a leader and one of the original gambling industries.

The United Kingdom has a regulated national lottery, land-based bingo, poker rooms, and casinos. The residents from the UK are permitted to gamble for actual money on online and mobile gambling sites. As a result, the age group of those players who mostly gamble online, which garnered 29.3%, is between 35-44. Such an age group is most likely to be financially able to spend a couple of bucks to do gambling activities.

Gambling statistics reveal that the average British person spends £2.60 per week on gambling. Moreover, statistics show that individuals with higher revenues spend £4.20 a week on gambling, while those with lower earnings spend £1.50 a week, which is significantly less.

Australian Casino Players

Ever since, gambling has been a prevalent pastime among adults in Australia, potentially because of their love of pub culture and sport. In 2018, experts reported that Australians spent more than twenty billion dollars on lotto, electronic gaming machines, and other gaming alone. The gambling industry's added gross value contributed nearly 590 million AUD to the economy. Per se, Australia is an attractive investment market in the gambling industry and is still continually growing in the segment of online gaming.

Nowadays, online gambling is very prevalent in Australia. Australia has the most significant number of adult gamblers in the world, which is at 80%. Moreover, according to the online gambling statistics for Australia, an average Australian adult spends more than $1,200 on online gambling every year. This gambling innovation keeps growing, and the market cannot stop this soon.

Gambling Expenditures Facts

Listed below are some of the exciting facts about expenses in gambling throughout the world: 

  • In a year, people spend approximately 100 billion dollars all around the globe on gambling alone.
  • The United States has more than 8 million gamblers, nearly 39 percent of the population, who play and gamble almost daily.
  • At least 23 million Americans are debt-ridden because of gambling, and their average loss is approximately $55,000.
  • According to the World Gambling Report, the Australian continent has the highest number of casino gamblers.
  • Nowadays, 96 percent of online gamblers play at home using their mobile devices to gamble because of the portability that mobile devices provide.
  • Online gamblers use the available prevalent gambling sites such as Bitcoin and other crypto-focused ones that recently popped up.
  • An average gambler spends 580 dollars on a trip.
  • In 2019, visitors in Las Vegas spent approximately $591 on average.
  • Average Americans spend approximately $261 on lottery tickets and casinos in a typical year.
  • Nearly 1.5% of global players are problem gamblers.

When Does Gambling Become a Problem?

People gamble for many reasons. It could be for social, financial, entertainment, or coping purposes. Sure, being aware of why you gamble can be very helpful. However, many players become obsessed with casinos that they forget to consider their possible effects, particularly gambling addiction.

According to statistics, (see more statistics). Moreover, approximately 8 percent of the population end up going into debt, losing significant amounts of money, and sometimes even losing their homes and families. These are some examples where gambling can be a problem and detrimental to your mental health. Suppose you have experienced this problem while gambling and lost hope. Know that you can reach out to specific organizations to seek help and eventually overcome and recover. These organizations worldwide help tackle compulsive gambling and may help you reach support groups that can benefit the afflicted.

Here are some of the reputable organizations around the world and their respective hotline numbers:

  • - (661) 716-7100 or (800) 414-5860
  • - 0808 8020 133
  • - (909) 931-9056
  • - 1-800-522-4700

Gambling is a leisure activity to enjoy their time with family and friends, regardless of whether they win. But for other people, the stakes are higher. Some even make gambling the center of their universe, which only causes them more harm than good. So, if you are a gambler, make sure to gamble moderately to avoid the pitfalls of the gambling world.

This article was published on October 11, 2022, and last updated on October 24, 2022.