The Ten Biggest Gambling Countries Part One

Aussies love to gamble and they love pokies more than anything else. In Australia we also lose a lot of money gambling, and not just on pokies. However, how do we compare to other countries when it coms to this popular past-time? Do we gamble more or less than others, and which countries lose the most money every year?

In this two-part article we’ll count down from 10 to 1, with the first 5 countries listed here and the second five listed in the second part of this article, which will be published a couple of days after this one. If you have yet to read it, then be sure to seek it out, and checkout our other articles on pokies, Australia and gambling as you do so.

10. Spain

With a very relaxed lifestyle, a love for casino gambling, lotteries and more, the Spanish are said to lose around $420 per person per year. The thing that attracts Spaniards more than anything else is sports betting, and when you consider that they have one of the most exciting soccer leagues in the world, as well as a national team that has taken on the world and beaten them, this is not much of a surprise.

9. Greece

The Greeks lose just a little more than the Spanish every year, and this has increased in recent years as times have grown more difficult. Perhaps conversely to common sense, it seems gambling always increases during times of economic hardship, and as far as the Greeks are concerned, games like Keno and other lotteries, as well as sports betting, are how they prefer to make their bets.

8. Norway

Perhaps a surprise inclusion, Norway is one of the cleanest countries in the world and it also has some of the best healthcare and education. However, per person, they lose around $450 every year through gambling. This is even more surprising when you consider that gambling is mostly illegal and is tightly restricted, with Norwegian gamblers flocking to online casinos, sports books, and poker rooms to fulfill all of their gambling needs.

7. Hong Kong

Losing over $500 per person per year, Hong Kong residents love gambling in all of its forms. This vibrant well-lit city looks like Las Vegas in more ways than one, but rather than casino gambling, it is horse racing that is king here. The Sport of Kings, as it is affectionately known, is at its most popular in Hong Kong, but they also like to bet on soccer matches and other sports. The lottery is also big here, while casino gambling is surprisingly unpopular.

6. Italy

Perhaps less of a surprise inclusion, especially when you consider its close proximity to two other countries on this list, Italians lose close to $520 a year per person. There is no shortage of video lottery terminals and slot machines in this country, all of which offer an instant way to gamble and a way that sees many gamblers losing large amounts of money in a short space of time. The laws on gambling in its many forms have been a little hit and miss here over the years, and recently there have been protests against the rise of many gambling establishments and machines.