Rise Mzansi Warns Online Gambling Is South Africa’s ‘New Pandemic’, Urges Tougher Regulations

Rise Mzansi has sounded the alarm over the rapid rise of online gambling in South Africa, describing it as the nation’s “new pandemic” and urging Parliament to impose stricter regulations on the booming industry.

The party’s concerns centre on the growing number of vulnerable citizens—particularly social grant recipients and students—who are gambling away their limited income online in an effort to cope with the rising cost of living.

In a parliamentary debate on Friday, Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana said online gambling was becoming an “economic trap” for the poor and young. “These companies are not only extracting money, they are normalising gambling through relentless advertising and social media influencer campaigns,” Gana stated.

Online Gambling’s Explosive Growth Raises Red Flags

Gana’s comments follow a report from the National Gambling Board showing that South Africans wagered a staggering R1.5 trillion last year, generating R75 billion in revenue. Online betting made up 70% of that total—far surpassing the 22% earned by traditional casinos.

Despite these enormous profits, only R74 million was spent on rehabilitation and responsible gamble programmes, a figure Rise Mzansi argues is woefully inadequate. Gana emphasised that without decisive intervention, the situation could spiral further out of control.

Rise Mzansi Pushes for Seven Key Reforms

To address the issue, Gana proposed seven key reforms designed to prioritise protection over prohibition. Among these are:

Restricting advertising hours for online gambling platforms

Raising gambling taxes to at least 8%

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Increasing industry contributions to responsible gamble initiatives to 1% of gross revenue

Imposing tighter controls on influencer marketing used to promote betting

“These reforms are not about prohibition, they are about protection,” Gana asserted. “We cannot sit idle while a trillion-rand industry feeds on the despair of the poor and the hopes of the young.”

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