In 2021, Australians spent a staggering US$302 million on mobile slots games, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
28 October 2026
This hefty figure underscores the rapid growth of social casinos and online gambling. The 2025 National Gambling Study found that over 56% of Australian gamblers now mainly gamble online, with the vast majority of these sessions happening on mobile phones. This digital migration has been on a steep upward trend since the COVID-19 pandemic, with ACMA reporting a sharp jump in demand and revenue in 2020 and 2021.
The drawing power of mobile is breaking records in the Australian online pokies market, with myriad new casino-style apps drawing in a surprisingly huge number of gamblers. But what counts as a social casino, exactly?
What Counts as a Social Casino?
Social casinos are a form of simulated gambling. They feature casino-style games such as slots, blackjack and roulette, but do not allow real-money payouts. Users typically play for free, with optional in-game purchases that top up a closed-loop virtual-credit system. These games can be accessed on a variety of platforms, including websites, social media, and mobile apps. Unlike traditional online casinos, social casinos do not operate under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, as they do not involve money or anything else of value.
Why Mobile is Winning
The mobile gambling surge began years before the coronavirus lockdowns, but the trend accelerated markedly in response to the pandemic. Government advisories to stay home due to public-health restrictions led many to seek out remote entertainment. Revenues from online sports betting in Australia swelled by 80% in the 2020-21 period, according to Reuters, reflecting a broader trend that saw digital gambling sessions skyrocket. Mobile wagers made up a growing percentage of those bets.
The result has been a digital-first generation of gamblers: a 2025 study found that more than half of Australian gamblers now mainly gamble online, with the majority of those sessions happening on mobile phones rather than desktop or laptop computers.
Market Scale and Spending
The scale and spending of the social casino and mobile slots market is already substantial. Mobile slots alone generated US$302 million in consumer spending in Australia in 2021, according to ACMA. A report in *The Sydney Morning Herald* revealed Australians spent a total of $80 million on mobile casino-style games in the second quarter of 2022 alone, with a single popular game, Lightning Link Casino, generating more revenue than any other on an almost daily basis over the past three years.
Although consumers don't win cash, the casino operators see heaps of extra phone bills - players spent AU$1.23 billion in mobile phone bills for online gambling in 2021, up 105% from the previous two years. According to The Weekly Times, AU$1,081 million was spent on online pokies, with a further AU$148.5 million lost on online sports betting "but this pales into insignificance compared to the AU$26.8 billion in losses from government-run Lottos."
Product Features Driving Uptake
So why are Australians flocking to mobile casino-style games? Social casino apps replicate the fast-paced, potentially rewarding gameplay of real-money pokies, but with a frictionless, closed-loop virtual-credit system. Players can purchase credits to keep going, but can't win real money or transfer their in-game winnings to external accounts. As these games involve risk, chance and the hope of a big win - a combination that borderlines gambling - they help to “normalize” gambling in some quarters.
The types of games aren’t just slots either, as overseas-focused gambling sites offering a modern mobile experience are targeting Australians with products unavailable in Australia. Megaways slots, for example, saw an 85% rise globally and a 67% rise in Australia between 2020 and 2021. Other fast-growing mobile formats include Buy-a-Bonus slots, crash games, instant-win games and game-show hybrid titles.
Teenagers are being increasingly presented with a gambling life in Mini-Casinos. Newcastle Herald noted in 2019 that cleverly designed mobile camel racing games looked just like real money pokies, and while the players couldn't lose real money, lost hours of their life satisfied with the thrill of gambling. Similar games exist for slot machines, horse racing, and various types of gambling with in-app purchases being the only way to keep going without soundtrack repetition.
Regulatory and Harm Concerns
As the social casino market booms, so too do calls for greater regulation. A federal parliamentary inquiry into online gambling is examining whether simulated gambling, including loot boxes and social casino games, should be included in the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 - effectively treating them the same as online poker or sports betting for billing and problem-gambling accountability.
In March 2023, the Australian government announced proposed reforms to the National Classification Scheme, including a mandatory minimum classification of R 18+ for games containing simulated gambling.
According to ACMA, the main concerns include how social casino games "help to normalise gambling for young users who do not understand or appreciate the difference between gambling and non-gambling, and do not realise the risk of financial harm." Early data shows that minors and other gambling-vulnerable demographics are more likely to get hooked on these games, which contain highly addictive features such as fast-paced gameplay, constant feedback, and big-win chase mechanics.