Editorial update — 11 October 2026.
Online gambling statistics are easy to misuse when very different quantities share a headline. For April–June 2026, ACMA reported 465 enquiries and complaints, 30 investigations of 76 sites, 56 breaches, 18 formal warnings and 187 website blocking referrals. Each number measures an administrative activity. None on its own estimates the population who gamble or total national gambling expenditure.
Cumulative versus quarterly blocking
ACMA's 24 September 2026 enforcement announcement said that 1,822 illegal gambling and affiliate websites had been blocked since its first request in November 2019. It would be wrong to report 1,822 as a September-only figure or add it uncritically to the quarterly 187 referrals; the measures and date windows overlap. It is also incorrect to equate every blocked domain with a separately prosecuted company.
A basic statistical checklist
Always attach a period to a count. Distinguish people, accounts, websites, complaints, investigations and regulatory findings. Identify whether a reported figure is cumulative or covers the current period, and ask if it can include repeat entries. When a percentage is quoted, preserve the denominator. Do not infer addiction prevalence, house advantage or game RTP from enforcement activity.
What this article covers
It uses verifiable 2026 ACMA statistics rather than unsupported global market-size estimates. The separate How to Interpret Official Gambling Statistics page explains the broader methodology; this item gives concrete figures and cautions for this dated regulatory snapshot.
Primary references (checked 11 October 2026):
- https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2026-08/report/action-interactive-gambling-and-gambling-advertising-april-june-2026
- https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2026-09/latest-illegal-online-gambling-websites-blocked