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Gambling in South Africa has changed beyond recognition.
Once limited to casinos, racetracks and betting shops, it now lives in our pockets, powered by smartphones, mobile payments and always-on apps.
This shift has unlocked enormous commercial growth, but it has also exposed millions of South Africans to unprecedented financial and social risk.
For centuries, gambling was tightly controlled. Most wagering was banned as far back as 1673, with limited exceptions like horse racing under the 1965 Gambling Act. After 1994, the industry opened up.
The National Gambling Act of 1996 created a regulated framework for casinos, lotteries and betting, bringing gambling into the formal economy.
Online gambling, however, has followed a messier path. While the 2004 National Gambling Act prohibited most online casino games, it allowed licensed online sports betting under provincial regulation. Today, sports betting apps operate legally, while online casinos exist in a persistent regulatory grey zone.
What’s truly transformed the industry is access. Gambling is now frictionless. A smartphone, mobile data and instant payments are all that’s required. According to the National Gambling Board (NGB), South Africans wagered an estimated R1.5 trillion in 2024/25, much of it via mobile platforms. Two decades ago, total gambling revenue stood at roughly R8 billion.
Major operators are racing to capture this growth. Betway, one of the sector’s most prominent players, recently signed a R900 million sponsorship deal with the Premier Soccer League, embedding betting brands deep into South African sport and culture. Its parent company, Super Group, now generates around 40% of its net revenue from Africa, with South Africa described as a “linchpin” market.
Behind the scenes, companies are investing heavily in technology to drive engagement: faster platforms, personalised offers and constant notifications. The strategy is shifting from occasional sports bets to higher-frequency casino-style play, where revenues are larger and user engagement is longer.
But this hyper-accessibility comes at a cost.
Fast Company spoke to a user of an online betting platform who described how easily casual betting became routine. Small R50 bets, placed while watching tennis or rugby, gradually multiplied. “I wouldn’t say I’m addicted,” she said, “but I can see how my betting has increased over the past year.”
Her experience reflects a broader national pattern. Participation in gambling has more than doubled since 2017. Today, 65.7% of South Africans gamble, and nearly one-third show signs of problem gambling, according to the NGB.
For lower-income households, the risks are severe. Aggressive advertising and micro-stakes normalise gambling as everyday entertainment, even when disposable income is scarce. Losses, often small but frequent, can quickly consume money meant for food, rent or school fees.
Lawmakers and advocacy groups are sounding the alarm. Parliamentarians warn that students are gambling NSFAS allowances, grant recipients are betting social grants, and paychecks are gone before the month-end.
South Africa’s gambling industry is booming — but the social fallout is mounting just as fast. The question now is whether regulation, policy and public accountability can keep pace with an industry that has already reshaped daily life.
Read the full piece by Keursten by clicking here!
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