Over the past twenty years, sports betting has rapidly risen in Australia, becoming one of the most popular and fastest-growing forms of gambling. However, this phenomenon is not accidental, but deeply rooted in the country's long history of gendered cultural history. Data shows that currently nearly 90% of regular sports betting participants are male, the most disproportionate gender ratio among all gambling activities.
Since the early colonial period, sports betting, especially on horse racing and boxing, has been an exclusively male activity. Women, controlled economically by men and socially perceived as gambling "corrupting female morals," have been long excluded. Working-class men viewed sports gambling as a way to display masculinity, competitive spirit, and adventurousness, while the upper class saw it as an elegant social activity. In the 20th century, although horse racing gambling gradually allowed female participation, such as in 1927 when Victoria introduced the totalisator allowing women to bet, they were often seen as "decorative roles," and their gambling behavior was considered reliant on intuition rather than rational analysis.
In contemporary times, sports betting still focuses on male-dominated football events (such as AFL, NRL), with these two events accounting for more than half of Australia's total sports betting expenditure in 2017. Advertising and marketing further reinforce the male narrative, objectify female images, and strengthen the perception that "sports betting is a male activity." With the proliferation of the internet and mobile devices, betting scenarios break through traditional male spaces, such as bars or betting stations. Some betting companies (like Sportsbet) promote to young women on TikTok, but the gender structure change remains limited, and women's participation is still much lower than men's, while potential gambling risks may increase.
This article uses historical analysis, drawing on newspapers, legal texts, academic research, government reports, and industry data, to systematically organize the gender history of sports betting in Australia. The study shows that gender segregation stems from the male-dominated social structure of the colonial period, the binding of sports with masculinity, and the gender bias in modern advertising and project selection. Although the limited opening of horse racing gambling has slightly narrowed the gender gap, the overall male-dominated pattern remains significant.
The strength of the article lies in its systematic presentation of the gender history of sports betting, integrating perspectives from history, gender studies, and sociology, with rich arguments and clear real-world relevance. However, its limitations are also evident, including a single method, insufficient perspective on female participation, limited focus on local groups, and regional limitations. Future research could further explore the impact of the internet and mobile gambling on gender participation, the mechanisms of advertising gender effects, the gambling behaviors of women of different ages and classes, the gambling history and current situation of Indigenous groups, and the long-term impact of policy interventions on gender gaps.
Overall, the gender imbalance in Australian sports betting is not accidental, but the result of historical continuity, cultural shaping, and modern commercial operations. Future technological, advertising, and policy changes will be key factors in changing the gender structure, but challenges remain severe.
