Sport, Gambling and Masculinity: A Gendered History of Australian Sports Betting

Abstract

Sports betting has risen dramatically in prominence over the past 20 years and is now one of Australia’s most popular, and fastest growing, gambling activities. The practice has a long and gendered history in Australia, with almost 9 out of 10 regular sports bettors today being men. This article offers a short cultural history of sports betting that outlines its growth, along with several key reasons for its popularity among men specifically. In the early colonial period, gambling on racing and sports was a masculine pursuit from which women were largely excluded until the late 20th century. Contemporary sports betting’s focus on male-dominated football codes, along with advertising campaigns that objectify women and emphasise masculine narratives, continue to reinforce the idea that sports betting is primarily a men’s practice in modern Australia.