By Palesa Matlala
- South Africans spent over R1.5 trillion on gambling, with betting alone reaching R1.1 trillion as mobile apps make it easier to place daily bets.
- New research shows 40% of working people gamble often, many using it to cover bills, debt and basic living costs.
More South Africans are turning to gambling to deal with money problems.
Even though civil groups and political parties want stricter rules, gambling keeps growing.
South Africans spent R1.1 trillion on betting in the 2024 to 2025 financial year. Mobile apps have made it easy to gamble every day.
In total, more than R1.5 trillion was spent on all types of gambling. That is R400 billion more than the year before.
Money made from gambling has also gone up, from R59 billion to R75 billion. Nearly 65.7% of adults now gamble, which is double the number in 2017.
New research from Old Mutual Corporate shows the problem is getting worse.
It found that 40% of working South Africans gamble often. Many say they do it to cover bills or make extra money.
“What we are seeing is a society under strain. Short-term relief is consistently winning over long-term security because many employees simply do not have the financial reserves they need to cope,” said Keri-Lee Edmond.
“This is no longer an individual challenge. It is a workforce-wide issue that employers need to factor into how they support their people,” she said.
The report also shows that about 55% of money meant for fun is now spent on gambling.
“Our research shows that for many South Africans, this is no longer just about recreation or entertainment. Individuals are gambling to meet daily needs and expenses, pay off debt, or in an attempt to secure higher incomes,” Edmond said.
At the same time, living costs are rising.
The Competition Commission says food and electricity prices are going up faster than inflation. Eskom tariffs increased by 11.3%, and some areas raised prices by up to 15%.
Electricity prices have gone up by about 85% over five years. Water prices have risen by 68%. Inflation is just over 30%.
The commission warned that this is putting pressure on poorer households.
For help to stop gambling, the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation offers free counselling on 0800 006 008.
Pictured above: Money in a persons hand
Image source: file
