South Africans Gamble Billions As Financial Strain Fuels Betting Boom

Tough financial times and the rise of online betting platforms are creating a perfect storm — one that’s seeing South Africans gamble more than ever before. Companies in the gambling industry are cashing in, as citizens turn to betting in hopes of supplementing their income. Yet authorities warn that the losses are far outweighing the gains.

According to figures from the National Gambling Board (NGB), gambling revenues have surged dramatically in just a few years. The NGB reported gross gambling revenues of R23.3 billion in the 2020/21 financial year. By 2024/25, that number had skyrocketed to R74.5 billion.

“You will realise that pre-COVID, casinos were quite higher in terms of revenue compared to sports betting. However, due to lockdown and COVID, people explored more of the sports betting,” said Lungile Dukwana from the National Gambling Board.

Online Betting Boom Drives Addiction Concerns

The NGB revealed that South Africans collectively spent R1.5 trillion gambling during the 2024/25 financial year — a figure that highlights just how deeply betting has penetrated the economy.

Once hooked on slot machines, reformed gambler Colin told eNCA’s Hloni Mtimkulu that the rise in gambling comes as no surprise. “In terms of accessibility, it’s so easy. That’s why the figures are rising. Sadly, there’s nothing that’s there as an alarm bell to say guys be mindful. Yes, there’s a little, but not good enough in my opinion,” he said.

Colin compared gambling addiction to other forms of substance abuse, noting how difficult it is to detect. “Alcohol, yes, it’s an addiction. You have excess alcohol, you go to work, you get identified.

“Drugs, likewise, you get identified. This one, you could lose millions, go to work as if nothing happened. The good thing is, whenever a win occurs, the whole company hears about it, but nobody hears about the losses,” he added.

Gambling Ads Under Scrutiny as Regulation Efforts Grow

The surge in gambling activity has also reignited debate over the role of advertising and sponsorship in normalising betting. “In fact, there is proof that some people have got into the gambling space because it is glamourised, but also, it doesn’t advertise the full impact of gambling on their side,” Dukwana explained.

He noted that while efforts are underway to better regulate gambling advertisements, individuals must also take responsibility. One such measure includes the self-exclusion register, designed to help those struggling to control their gambling habits.

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“Once you are over 18, there’s no real control one can do, because it’s your personal space that one would have made. But one of the issues the department and ministry are busy with is the self-exclusion register, where you should have the capacity to, when you see it’s out of control, you fill the self-exclusion form.

“You complete it, and all those operators know you cannot be able to access them because you have self-excluded,” said Dukwana.

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