Two-thirds of Australian betting turnover is done digitally

Online wagering accounts for nearly two-thirds of Australia’s sports betting market, according to new research.

A new report by UBS analyst Matt Ryan estimates that desktop and mobile wagering were responsible for 65% of all betting turnover in Australia in the six months ending December 31, 2016. The digital turnover share was up 23% from the same period last year, while retail wagering fell 6% over the same span.

The digital gains are all the more impressive considering Australian-licensed operators were forced to suspend their online in-play sports betting services last September. The in-play apps had been extremely popular with bettors, with some operators claiming that in-play turnover had tripled following their app’s launch.

Paddy Power Betfair’s Sportsbet brand remains the betting app king, accounting for 31% of all betting app downloads. Runner-up Tabcorp was well back at 20%, while William Hill ranked third with 15%.