Australia Fantasy Sports Market

Australia Fantasy Sports Market Overview:

The Australia fantasy sports market size reached USD 810.6 Million in 2024. Looking forward, the market is expected to reach USD 2,180.2 Million by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 10.40% during 2025-2033. The growth of the market is driven by rising mobile adoption, increased sports engagement, and the popularity of Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS). Legalization of online betting, partnerships with sports leagues, and blockchain integration further fuel expansion. Younger audiences and demand for real-time gaming experiences also contribute to the industry’s rapid development.

Key Trends of Australia Fantasy Sports Market:

Growth of Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Platforms in Australia

The rising popularity of Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) platforms is majorly driving the Australia fantasy sports market growth. Unlike traditional season-long fantasy leagues, DFS allows users to draft new teams for each contest, offering faster results and instant payouts. This format appeals to younger audiences seeking quick engagement, especially in popular sports such as AFL, NRL, and cricket. Major international DFS operators, are expanding into Australia, while local platforms are gaining traction. The increasing legalization of online betting and fantasy sports in various states has further fueled this trend. The decade between 2015 and 2022 saw a staggering 57.6% growth in sports betting in Australia, especially among men aged 18-44, whose activity grew by as much as 66%. This has largely been driven by the growth of online sites and mobile apps for gambling. 14.9% of Australians aged 25 to 34 reported betting on sports in 2022, with over 105,000 male punters classified as high-risk gamblers. These developments reflect the swift expansion of Australia’s online fantasy sports sector, prompting urgent demands for stricter regulations on advertising. Additionally, partnerships between DFS platforms and sports leagues are enhancing user engagement through exclusive promotions and real-time data integration. With mobile app usage on the rise, DFS providers are optimizing their platforms for seamless in-play experiences, attracting both casual players and serious fantasy sports enthusiasts. Therefore, this is creating a positive Australia fantasy sports market outlook.

Integration of Blockchain and NFTs in Fantasy Sports

Another emerging trend in the market is the integration of blockchain technology and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Blockchain ensures transparency in player transactions and prize distributions, addressing concerns around fairness and security. The 2025 Independent Reserve Cryptocurrency Index (IRCI) rose to 54, showing that 31% of Australians hold cryptocurrency, and 57% of them report having made profits despite economic woes. Bitcoin remains at the forefront of the market with 70% of ownership, and 21% of investors are investing more than USD 500 every month. With the growth in blockchain technology adoption, the changing cryptocurrency landscape is also expected to continue integrating increasingly with Australia's fantasy sports websites and digital gaming industries. Meanwhile, NFTs are being used to create unique digital collectibles, such as player cards or exclusive rewards, adding a new layer of engagement for users. Several fantasy sports platforms are exploring play-to-earn models, where users can trade or sell NFT-based assets. This trend aligns with the global growth of Web3 and metaverse gaming, attracting tech-savvy fantasy sports players. Cricket and soccer-based fantasy games are leading this shift, with platforms offering NFT-based rewards for top performers. As regulatory frameworks change, blockchain-powered fantasy sports could redefine user ownership and monetization in the industry, further expanding the Australia fantasy sports market share.

Growth Drivers of Australia Fantasy Sports Market:

Deep Sports Culture and Year-Round Sporting Calendar

Australia’s strong sporting culture and year-round calendar of professional leagues play a critical role in driving the growth of the fantasy sports market. The country's enthusiasm for a broad range of sports provides fantasy sites with continuous user interest throughout the year compared to markets for one dominant sport. Fan enthusiasm at local level for teams and players creates deeper engagement, making participation in fantasy a natural progression of enthusiasm. Schools, universities, and workplaces sometimes hold internal fantasy competitions, making sports a social communal affair. As domestic leagues like the A-League and the Women's Big Bash gain popularity, there is growing demand for specialized fantasy formats. The culturally embedded significance of sports in Australia, in addition to mass digital connectivity, makes fertile soil for the fantasy sports environment to take root.

Media Partnerships and Sports Tech Innovation Influence

One of Australia's fantasy sports unique growth drivers is the partnership synergy between market leaders in the media space and platform innovation. News Corp's purchase of Vapormedia, which co-created SuperCoach, has the advantage of strong media support and wider access through bundled coverage on newspapers, online, and mobile applications. This strengthens user acquisition and usage, particularly with platforms launching fantasy games for global sports like NBA, NFL, and Formula One. In parallel, technological advancement in sports tech, specifically AI-led analytics, machine learning for predictive performance and AI-driven predictive analytics, and mobile experience enhancements in real time, improves user experience. Merging live-score updates, performance prediction features, trade assist, and analytics dashboards strengthens users with intelligent gameplay. These advances in technology coupled with targeted media promotion form a powerful growth environment. Combined, media impact and tech sophistication increase market penetration and transform fantasy sports from a game to a digitally rich fan experience.

Fantasy Format Expansion, Community Involvement, and e‑Sports Integration

Australia's fantasy sports expansion is also driven by format expansion and integration with new digital communities. Platforms are debuting new franchise-based fantasy leagues associated with women's sports, short-form events such as T20 cricket tournaments, and hyper-personalized micro-leagues based on user interest. Furthermore, the marriage of fantasy sports and esports—whereby users assemble teams based on competitive gaming tournaments—is creating new streams of revenue and engaging younger, digitally-born audiences. Fantasy competition get-togethers and online communities of influencer followers, e.g., forums and podcasts on weekly selection and tactics, enhance social interaction. These audiences drive word-of-mouth and encourage engagement in niche sports. Sites provide gamification functionality such as leaderboards, badges, and loyalty points to drive retention. With fantasy sports intersecting with eSports, women's leagues, and micro-formats tailored to specific tastes, the market expands its reach and cements growth across interests and demographics.

Opportunities of Australia Fantasy Sports Market:

Untapped Potential in Women's Sports and Regional Leagues

One of the most significant opportunities in the fantasy sports market in Australia is the increased interest in women's sports and regional sporting competitions. With added exposure and broadcast coverage of competitions like the AFLW, WBBL, and Super Netball, there is growing demand for fantasy sports products for these competitions. Although women's league fans are demonstrating greater depth and loyalty in engagement, there is a new user base emerging for fantasy sites. Regional competitions in Australia, like local rugby and cricket competitions, present added scope for fantasy growth. These community and street-level events might develop hyper-local fantasy formats, building identity and enhanced fan engagement. Platforms that incorporate these under-served segments have the ability to capture growing interest while enhancing inclusivity and diversity. By creating fantasy experiences outside the more conventional male-oriented leagues, providers can build a richer, more thorough ecosystem appealing to a wider base and fostering year-round user activity.

Emerging Technology and Gamification Integration

Emerging technology integration offers a significant growth opportunity for Australia's fantasy sports sector. User experiences could be revolutionized by the application of artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR). AR and VR have the power to revolutionize how fans engage with their fantasy teams, both by building draft experiences or matchday simulations that enhance fan attachment. At the same time, AI-based analytics software can assist players in making better choices and developing more interesting gameplay. Gamification features like achievement badges, live leaderboards, virtual rewards, and loyalty systems can enhance user engagement and boost participation even beyond live sports events. These virtual improvements fit well with Australia's technology-oriented and mobile-first market. Fantasy sports sites that embrace these innovations early will be able to stand out in an aggressive environment, especially with younger consumers. As technology continues to advance, the potential to combine sport, entertainment, and digital engagement will redefine how fantasy sport is consumed throughout the Australian marketplace.

Growth Through Educational Campaigns and Responsible Gaming

There is ample potential in the growth of the Australian fantasy sport market with focused education drives and strong responsible gaming emphasis. While there is impressive adoption of the market, much of the casual sports audience remains unaware of the mechanics or techniques of fantasy sports. By providing tutorials, in-app instructions, and demonstration competitions, sites can translate passive sports viewers into engaged players. This learning strategy is especially effective in engaging older segments and non-traditional sport segments. Furthermore, encouraging responsible gaming behavior can also contribute to trust-building, particularly in a regulatory framework that is increasingly focused on what happens online. Australia's robust sports culture and high levels of digital literacy provide a perfect setting in which to educate users without overwhelming them. Platforms that commit to transparency, support tools, and bright lines between fantasy sports and gaming would be able to reach a more risk-averse but inquisitive part of the market. This attention to education and ethics may unlock long-term user loyalty and wider acceptance.

Australia Fantasy Sports Market Segmentation:

IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the country and regional levels for 2025-2033. Our report has categorized the market based on sports type, platform, and demographics.

Sports Type Insights:

• Football
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Hockey
• Cricket
• Others

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the sports type. This includes football, baseball, basketball, hockey, cricket, and others.

Platform Insights:

• Website
• Mobile Application

A detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the platform have also been provided in the report. This includes website and mobile application.

Demographics Insights:

• Under 25 Years
• 25-40 Years
• Above 40 Years

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the demographics. This includes under 25 years, 25-40 years, and above 40 years.

Regional Insights:

• Australia Capital Territory & New South Wales
• Victoria & Tasmania
• Queensland
• Northern Territory & Southern Australia
• Western Australia

The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets, which include Australia Capital Territory & New South Wales, Victoria & Tasmania, Queensland, Northern Territory & Southern Australia, and Western Australia.

Competitive Landscape:

The market research report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape. Competitive analysis such as market structure, key player positioning, top winning strategies, competitive dashboard, and company evaluation quadrant has been covered in the report. Also, detailed profiles of all major companies have been provided.

Australia Fantasy Sports Market News:

• February 24, 2025: GameDay Squad, the most rapidly growing free-to-play fantasy sports site in Australia with more than 500,000 Google Play downloads, signed with NRL legend James Tedesco. The new 2025 season, with no salary caps or weekly drafts, is poised to provide non-stop strategic play to 2.4 million Australian fantasy players, two times the amount of three years ago. Supporters will be able to try out the new season with Tedesco at GameDay Squad's Sydney launch on February 27.

Australia Fantasy Sports Market Report Coverage:

Key Benefits for Stakeholders:

• IMARC’s industry report offers a comprehensive quantitative analysis of various market segments, historical and current market trends, market forecasts, and dynamics of the Australia fantasy sports market from 2019-2033.
• The research report provides the latest information on the market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the Australia fantasy sports market.
• Porter's five forces analysis assist stakeholders in assessing the impact of new entrants, competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, and the threat of substitution. It helps stakeholders to analyze the level of competition within the Australia fantasy sports industry and its attractiveness.
• Competitive landscape allows stakeholders to understand their competitive environment and provides an insight into the current positions of key players in the market.