The betting sector continues to show a high growth of 44%.
The national gambling board (NGB) has lamented the rise in gambling advertising, which also makes use of younger-looking models, placing youth at risk.
The board updated parliament’s portfolio committee on trade, industry and competition on its 2024-25 annual report on Wednesday, painting a grim picture of South Africa’s gambling problem.
Statistics from the board recorded R1.5 trillion in gambling turnover in the 2024-25 financial year, an increase from R1.1 trillion in the previous year.
This amounts to R75 billion in gross gambling revenue in the year under review, with online betting contributing more than half of this amount.
Betting generated R52.3 billion of the R75 billion, which is 70% of the pie, while creating 13 983 jobs.
The Covid-19 pandemic sparked an increase in betting, while casinos have witnessed a decline since the pandemic. Casinos generated R16.6 billion of the total revenue, which is 22% of the pie.
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The Limited Payout Machine (LPM) industry, which includes slot machines located outside of formal casinos, is the third-largest sector, generating R4.1 billion.
The bingo industry generated R1.7 billion in revenue.
Gambling: casino vs online betting
According to the board, while casinos have witnessed a decline since the Covid-19 pandemic, more access to technology has made it easier for gamblers.
The casino revenue fell by about 4% in the past financial year, coinciding with a decline in operational slots and tables.
“There were 21 813 operational slots in the 2023-24 financial year. By the end of the 2024-25 financial year, the industry had lost 443 slots,” said the board.
“Operational tables declined from 910 to 890 tables. This decline may reflect a fall in consumer demand, with casino operators opting to reduce operational machines and tables.
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“Online slots have shown significant growth, suggesting that substitution may also be taking place with punters gambling online in place of physical slot machines.
“The betting sector continues to show exceptionally high growth of 44%.”
Advertising
The Western Cape generated the biggest share of the pie with R23.1 billion, followed by Mpumalanga with R22.6 billion, Gauteng with R13.5 billion, Limpopo with R4.5 billion, Eastern Cape with R2.1 billion, North West with R1.5 billion, Northern Cape with R487 million, and Free State with R516 million.
The board further lamented an increase in gambling advertising without sufficient guidelines, which has normalised gambling in society. This practice fosters harmful gambling habits, it said.
“Regulations, norms and standards governing gambling advertising are required to ensure that punters are protected from the negative social consequences of gambling and increased public education on the risks of gambling,” said the board.
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“The key thing is to protect the young and the vulnerable by banning the use of persons who appear under 25 in gambling adverts and banning ‘youth-appealing’ imagery or characters.”
It further called for a tightening of licence conditions to require age-gating, placement checks and record keeping.
The board has called for non-compliance to result in fines, approximately 5% of advertising spending, or temporary suspension of advertising rights.
Outreach programmes
The board, in partnership with the Eastern Cape Gambling Board (ECGB), is currently conducting a week-long series of community outreach engagements across the Nelson Mandela Bay region until Friday, 17 October 2025.
“The outreach activities aim to educate the public about the dangers of illegal and online gambling, while promoting responsible practices in line with the board’s commitment to ensuring a fair, safe, and regulated gambling environment in South Africa,” it said.
If you or a loved one is battling addiction and requires treatment and counselling, call 0800 006 008 or send a WhatsApp message on 076 675 071.
To report illegal gambling, citizens should contact [email protected] or call 010 003 3475.
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