Arts and recreation: how the industry looks
This page gathers the figures we hold on arts and recreation. Each section names its own source.
Each source groups industries its own way, so the edges of arts and recreation differ a little from section to section.
- Median sale multiple9.0times EBITDA
- EBITDA margin14.0%share of sales, 2024-25
- Still trading after four years57.8%of businesses trading in June 2022
- Days to pay small suppliers14July to December 2025
- Wage change+3.1%the year to June 2026
The figures at a glance
- In July to December 2025, the typical large business paid small suppliers in 14 days in the industry and 23 days across all industries.
- Of businesses trading in June 2022, 57.8% in the industry and 61.9% across all industries were still trading four years later.
Where a line gives a figure across all industries, it comes from the same source and period as the industry's. The sections below name each source.
Use these figures
Set your own EBITDA margin beside the industry's on industry margins.
Get your own earnings on the same basis as the deals, and set them against the sector's multiples, in the earnings calculator.
Set the days your own invoices take beside the industry's on payment times.
What businesses sold for
- Arts and recreation9.0 times EBITDA, middle half 8.0 to 9.5, 10+ deals
- Gaming and wagering7.5 times EBITDA, middle half 6.5 to 9.0, 10+ deals
Deal details
Arts and recreation: median 9.0 times EBITDA. The middle half of deals ran from 8.0 to 9.5 times (10+ deals of A$10 million to A$500 million, announced 2000 to 2025).
Gaming and wagering: median 7.5 times EBITDA. The middle half of deals ran from 6.5 to 9.0 times (10+ deals of A$10 million to A$500 million, announced 2000 to 2022).
What multiple will my business sell for?
In Australia, arts and recreation businesses bought between 2000 and 2025 sold for a median of 9.0 times EBITDA, across 10+ deals.
Source: deals in our database with a published value. Counts by onestepright.
See every arts and recreation figure on its sale multiples page.
How deal activity has moved
2015-19 against 2020-26, among the deals in our database.
These count deals in our database, not every deal in the market.
Source: deals in our database. Counts by onestepright.
Margins
In 2024-25, EBITDA was 14.0% of sales across the industry, and operating profit 13.3%.
- Purchases11.2%
- Labour27.5%
- Other costs
- EBITDA14.0%
Every business in the industry together, 2024-25.
What is the average profit margin in arts and recreation?
Across every arts and recreation business added together, EBITDA was 14.0% of sales in 2024-25, and operating profit 13.3%.
Every business in the industry is added together, so the figures are not a typical business.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Industry (8155.0). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare margins across industries.
How many businesses are still trading
About 58 in every 100 were still trading four years later.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits (8165.0). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare survival across industries.
Businesses that started and stopped
Each is a share of the businesses trading at the start of the year.
Few exits are insolvencies.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits (8165.0). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare exits across industries.
How fast large businesses pay small suppliers
- This industry14
- All industries23
The typical large business in this industry, against all industries.
In July to December 2025, the typical large business in the industry paid small suppliers in 14 days, and paid 88% of its invoices within 30 days.
Source: Payment Times Reporting Register. © Commonwealth of Australia. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare payment times across industries.
What costs did
What wages and input prices did in this industry, and what businesses in it announced. Each comes from its own source and grouping of industries.
Each bar comes from its own source, named below.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Wage Price Index, Australia (6345.0), private sector, total hourly rates excluding bonuses. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
No input price series or announced rises fit this industry yet.
Small business cost ratios
The ATO publishes cost ranges for these small business industries in the sector.
Show the 1 industries
Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO.
See arts and recreation in New Zealand.
See arts and recreation in the United Kingdom.
See arts and recreation in Canada.
See arts and recreation in the United States.
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