The pandemic-precipitated 2020 lockdown resulted in intriguing spikes in the purchases of certain goods in Australia, like office furniture for example. With fresh lockdowns in 2021, spending is still on the rise, but the cash seems to be flowing more towards gadgets and pokies than desk recliners.
While pragmatism may have influenced a lot of spending with the first round of lockdowns, over a year later, boredom has seen an increasing number of people reach into their pockets to spend on entertainment and diversions.
According to data collected for Consumer Spending by the Consultancy firm Accenture and analytics firm, Illion, Melbourne and Sydney have recorded a 329% increase in online gambling spending when compared to average spending habits. This figure far surpasses the previous lockdown’s gambling spend increase of 215%.
While online gambling has experienced a phenomenal increase in popularity, it is far from the only industry to see a boom in lockdown-generated interest. Spending on home delivery increased by 203% in 2021, as compared to only 132% for the initial lockdown period.
Andrew Charlton, the MD at Accenture, explained that the observed increase in online gambling spending cannot be solely attributed to the lockdowns. He elaborated that the increased outflow of money continued following the 2020 lockdown to enough of an extent for it to be identified as a continuing, long-term change in consumer behaviour.
This indicates that many stuck with online gambling after the first lockdown, as opposed to treating it as a passing fascination.
Simon Bligh, the CEO of Illion, expressed his belief that the lack of entertainment options during lockdowns has driven many individuals towards online gambling. He added that there is a lot of disposable income floating around in both Sydney and Melbourne, so it follows that spending on things like pokies, sports betting and others would increase.
