Financial Education
Salem Nyati|Published
MOST South Africans are not gambling more because times are good. They’re gambling more because money is tight.
South Africa’s gambling industry generated a record R75 billion in gross gambling revenue in 2024/25, while the betting segment alone had already grown dramatically from R8.8bn in 2019/20 to R23.7bn by 2022/23.
Concerningly, 39% of online punters say they are gambling more than they were a year ago according to Trade Intelligence research, while the National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP) recorded a 55% increase in people seeking help.
Perhaps even more concerningly, some consumers admit that they are now prioritising betting over essentials like groceries.
In an…