In recent years, the South African sports betting industry has shown a rapid online growth trend. The latest survey shows that especially among young gamblers aged 18 to 34, the popularity of online sports betting is gradually approaching the status of the national lottery. It is expected that by 2025, the total revenue of the South African gambling industry (including casinos and online sports betting) will reach 64 billion rand.
However, behind this booming development, there are also widespread concerns about financial security and social risks. According to the Daily Investor citing InfoQuest research, the agency conducted a one-year behavior and attitude tracking survey of 300 local South African gamblers. The results show that sports betting is the most common form of gambling among respondents, with an average participation of 11 times per month; in contrast, although the national lottery draws 10 times, it mainly attracts an older group aged 35 to 65.
Although the gambling industry has contributed significant revenue and job opportunities to the economy, issues of gambling addiction and illegal operations are also increasingly attracting public attention. It is worth noting that the frequency of traditional casino table gambling has decreased from 7 times per month to 5 times, while at the same time, 48% of gamblers say they participate in sports betting or other related activities more frequently than a year ago. Experts believe that this change reflects the convenience brought by online platforms is reshaping the norms of gambling behavior in South African society.
Furthermore, the survey shows that only 37% of respondents use idle funds for gambling. In other words, as many as 63% of gamblers are investing funds originally intended for basic living expenses or savings into sports betting and other gambling activities. The report points out that this phenomenon indicates an urgent need for South Africa to strengthen the regulation of gambling behavior and pay attention to its possible social impacts.
Some key data include:
50% of respondents say they include gambling expenses in their monthly budget;
16% have borrowed money for gambling;
15% admit they cannot control their gambling behavior;
20% have sought or are seeking help for gambling addiction.
These figures highlight that while the gambling industry is rapidly expanding, it also brings urgent social challenges that need to be addressed.
