Instead of reflecting economic confidence, the surge in gambling appears to be happening alongside growing hardship, debt and uncertainty for millions of South Africans.

South Africa's gambling sector has entered a phase of growth unlike anything seen before. What makes this growth unusual is that it contradicts the long-held association between a healthy economy and betting activity.

In the past, gambling tended to grow when people had stable jobs, rising incomes and greater financial security. Today, the opposite is happening. The industry is expanding rapidly at a time when unemployment remains at crisis levels and many households are under serious financial pressure. Instead of reflecting economic confidence, the surge in gambling appears to be happening alongside growing hardship, debt and uncertainty for millions of South Africans.

This pattern, where betting revenues have grown four times since 2021 while formal job opportunities continue to shrink, shows a country increasingly turning to gambling as a way to cope with deep and long-standing economic problems.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

The scale of South Africa's gambling growth is striking when looking at the numbers. During the 2024/25 financial year, total gambling turnover reached R1.5-trillion. This was a sharp increase of 31.3%, up from R1.14-trillion in the previous year.

Even more telling is the rise in gross gambling revenue (GGR), which is the money operators keep after paying out winnings. GGR increased to...