Australia’s online betting trade group is urging the nation’s Chicken Littles not to read too much into “alarmist reports” of online gambling spending spiking during the COVID-19 lockdown.

On Tuesday, the Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) trade body issued a statement urging “caution in interpreting headline figures” purporting to show a surge in overall gambling spending during the pandemic.

Weekly data published by economic analysts AlphaBeta and credit bureau Illion have shown a significant increase in online gambling spending since Australia went under lockdown but similar patterns have also been seen in other economic categories for which retail options are no longer available.

RWA CEO Brent Jackson noted that with land-based gambling options closed during the lockdown, “people have migrated to online platforms, as with nearly every retail business in the country.” This is “a normal market response to a changing retail environment” and thus an online spending rise doesn’t necessarily equate to an increase in overall gambling spending.