Momentum Group Foundation said that research from the National Gambling Board for the 2024/2025 financial indicated that gambling has seen a record surge of close to R 75 million gross revenue.
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Momentum Group Foundation said that research from the National Gambling Board for the 2024/2025 financial indicated that gambling has seen a record surge of close to R 75 million gross revenue.
Salem Nyati, Consumer Financial Education Specialist at Momentum Group Foundation, said that economic pressure is a key driver that caused the surge in gambling. “Recent reporting and survey findings suggest more people are gambling in the hope of ‘making money’ to cover day-to-day costs, rather than purely for entertainment. Online betting also removes friction - it’s immediate, always accessible via a smartphone, and can be done privately, which may reduce the social ‘brake’ that exists with in-person gambling.”
Nyathi added that structurally, the sector is now dominated by betting: the National Gambling Board reports FY2024/25 GGR of R74.9bn (+-R75bn), with betting contributing 70% (R52.3bn). “Finally, stakeholders and recent coverage point to the normalisation effect of pervasive marketing and digital exposure, which can encourage participation and make it harder to stop.”
Nyathi said that online gambling is a massive problem. “The NGB reports R1.5 trillion wagered in 2024/25, and gross gambling revenue reached approx R75bn, up strongly YOY. The National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP) recorded a 55% increase in people seeking help.”
Nyathi added that sports betting online is one of the most used platforms in gambling. “Online sports betting / online betting (the dominant revenue driver in the sector). The NGB’s FY2024/25 results show betting is now the primary gambling mode by revenue share. Online casino-style games (often accessed through betting operators’ platforms) have also proved popular. Trade Intelligence and ITWeb reporting highlight high-traffic casino-style titles like Aviator, Starburst, Sugar Rush as examples driving traffic to major sites.”
Nyathi said that gambling is found across all age bands, but what is particularly concerning is youth's increasing exposure.
“More and more, we're seeing teenagers experiment and speak casually about gambling, often mirroring what they see at home. The risk is that it hard-wires ‘quick win’ thinking before emotional maturity, stable income, or financial literacy are in place. Always-on access and instant deposits make gambling feel like a game on a phone, not a high-risk financial decision. And, as young people spend a great deal of their time on phones, this makes them highly susceptible to betting ads. Stipends/allowances become gambling funds: Young people may already carry family expectations while receiving small stipends, which increases vulnerability to ‘I must make money fast’ thinking.”
Nyathi concluded that habit formation: early gambling can normalise prioritising betting over essentials, chasing losses, poor tracking of spending (a known issue in gambling surveys where some participants don’t track wins/losses).
Prof. Adré Schreuder, Head of ExperiPanel following its recent acquisition of InfoQuest, said that our latest tracking shows a clear year-on-year increase in gambling participation, with the sharpest growth occurring in online and mobile betting.
“The shift from regulated, physical casino environments to always-on digital platforms has materially lowered barriers to entry. Of particular concern is the disproportionate participation growth among lower-income segments, where gambling is increasingly framed as a coping or income-supplement strategy.”
Schreuder added that historically, the industry operated within tighter visibility and access controls.
“Today, the ubiquity of online platforms - combined with aggressive promotion - has amplified exposure to risk, to the extent that mandatory addiction warnings are now standard practice. While revenue growth may appear economically positive, the socio-economic cost and potential long-term consumer harm require urgent, evidence-based policy attention.”