Slots to smartphones: Pandemic sends Australia’s gambling problem online

Rhys Wareham switched to using a smartphone app to track bets on baseball. He is two-thirds of the way through paying off a gambling debt that bankrupted him eight years ago. Australia's gambling industry has been in the spotlight in recent years. Online gambling has also been the focus of inquiries. The government has promised to take a deeper look into it. It is harder to regulate than traditional gambling. App providers are mostly foreign. They benefit from marketing methods such as text message-based promotions. Online sports betting is also growing in popularity.