This study examined the longer-term impact of COVID-19 on gambling participation and gambling harm in Australia. Data from four waves of the ANUPoll were used. This study used responses from 3,160 Australian adults who completed at least two of the survey waves between 2019 and 2023. Gambling participation fell during the pandemic and began to increase again in 2023. The levels of gambling participation were still lower in 2023 compared to 2019. Four groups were identified based on their gambling participation trajectory between 2019 and 2023: (1) those who never gambled (25%); (2) those who engaged in non-problem gambling (60%); (3) those who stopped gambling during COVID-19 but began again after the pandemic (11%); and (4) those who engaged in high-risk gambling across all timepoints (5%). The researchers described the different patterns of gambling behaviour and demographics of the four groups.
