A $31 billion issue: The number of problem gamblers in Australia is increasing

Nearly 3.5 million Australians admit they are problem or at-risk gamblers, according to a new study.

Of this, 622,000 people confessed they are problem gamblers, a figure that has risen 22 per cent from last year, the survey of nearly 17,000 Aussies over 18 by Roy Morgan said.

Problem gambling can be defined as a compulsive urge to gamble despite the negative impacts it could have on your financial, physical or mental health.

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The research reveals younger Australians are more susceptible to problem gambling.

A majority of those who say they are problem gamblers are under 35, with 4.6 per cent of them being between 18-24-years-old.

"A look at who the 'problem gamblers' are shows a concentration among younger Australians aged under 50," CEO of Roy Morgan Michele Levine said.

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The most recent government data revealed Australians spent over $31 billion on gambling, the highest figure ever.

This leads to significant financial stress and challenges for some.

Around 3.7 per cent of Aussies at risk of mortgage stress and 4.1 per cent of people at extreme risk of mortgage stress are problem gamblers.

"[This shows] problem gamblers are also likely to face other challenges," Levine added.

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