The Results Are In! These are the Countries That Gamble the Most Across the Globe
The history of people enjoying gambling dates back around 5000 years, and it's safe to say that 50 centuries later, we’re still loving it. With gambling revenues growing across the world, it’s clear to see that gambling is fast becoming a more popular pastime than ever before. Used a way to have a bit of fun for the chance to win big, this way to blow off steam is even more popular in some countries than it is in others.
The fact is, in all the below-listed jurisdictions, players are always looking for free spins bonus codes. Why? Because their gameplay is extended. Plus, their chance of winning real money is increased.
So, if you want to find out where your country stacks up against the rest of the world in its gambling habits, then here is your chance to find out. Let’s dive in.
Highest Gross Gambling Yield: USA
Across the USA in 2024 alone, the gross gambling yield is estimated to be around $90B, with around only $23B of those revenues from legal gambling avenues. That’s a huge amount of money, and an especially huge amount of money for the states to be losing out on in taxation on illegal gambling.
There’s also the federal income tax on gambling winnings to consider when it comes to the popularity of illegal versus legal betting in the US. While the states continue to open up new legal gambling markets, there is still a very sizeable proportion that is not yet being regulated.
Big Sports Bettors: South Africa
South Africans are huge sports fans, so it may come as no surprise that a large percentage of the population - 46% in 2023 - placed a sports bet. Most sports bettors fall within the 25-34 age bracket, and despite preconceived gender notions, the split of bettors between male and female was relatively equal.
Sports that rank highly for South Africans to bet on include rugby, cricket, and soccer. The incidence of gambling more broadly has rocketed up over the years since 2017 and continues to hit new heights as the market expands.
Most Frequent Online Gamblers: Peru
Peru might not be a country that comes to mind when you think about gambling, however, thanks to the introduction of a new online gambling market, Peruvians are taking up the hobby as a serious sport.
In recent reports by Playtech, it was shown that 92% of Peruvian bettors placed bets at least monthly. That’s a highly significant number of returning players. It’s no wonder that Latin America is a key market for Playtech going forward and is looking favorably upon by other companies in the online gambling space.
Highest Losses Per Capita: Australia
The Aussies are leading the pack when it comes to the highest spend per person per year on gambling. Current estimates put gambling losses per person at around $1635. That is over twice the amount of the losses of US or UK citizens and is seen as a direct correlation to the number of slot machines around the country.
Australia also boasts one of the world’s biggest collections of physical slot machines, even considering its population is far less than that of other nations. Down in the southern-most state of Tasmania, they are even looking to curb slots spend, with limits of $100 per day and $5000 per year coming into effect by the end of 2025.
Persistent Punters: The UK
The UK leads the pack when it comes to the percentage of the population who have participated in gambling in some form or other in the past four weeks. In 2024, that figure stood at 48%, or almost half of the people in the country.
Of those surveyed by NatCen on behalf of the Gambling Commission, one in five of those people only played the lottery, almost 30% partook in in-person gambling activities, and the biggest demographic group for gamblers was men aged from 45-64. The National Lottery is a big deal in the UK, where 31% of people play regularly.
What About the China and Macau Thing?
Gambling within China is strictly prohibited both online and offline. However, Macau is a special Chinese territory where Chinese citizens are allowed to gamble legally. This gambling hotspot is well-known as one of the best places to gamble in person worldwide.
Boasting huge, luxurious, and over-the-top casino properties, shows, and facilities, the casinos in Macau will delight and amaze players and even non-players alike. If you’re headed to Macau, you’ll be sure to see lots of Chinese tourists taking a chance on their luck at the venues, as well as other foreign tourists looking to take in the dazzling sights of the rich Chinese territory that operates as a tourist hub.