NGB launches five-day responsible gambling outreach across Western Cape
The programme includes engagements at youth centres and educational institutions from August 31 to September 4.
South Africa.- The National Gambling Board (NGB) has begun a five-day responsible gambling outreach programme in the Western Cape, targeting young people and communities with education on safer gambling and informed decision-making.
The programme runs from August 31 to September 4, 2026, with activities scheduled across youth and education facilities.
According to the published schedule, the NGB will host a session at Ways of Change Youth Centre on August 31, focused on youth and underage gambling; Ithemba Labantu on September 1; False Bay TVET College’s Khayelitsha Campus on September 2; Ways of Change Youth Centre again on September 3 for young adults; and a venue to be confirmed on September 4.
The campaign forms part of the NGB’s broader responsible gambling and public education mandate. The regulator is urging consumers to understand their limits, establish gambling budgets and avoid treating gambling as a source of income.
The timing comes as gambling activity continues to expand across South Africa. NGB figures show that the industry generated R74.9bn (US$4.65bn) in gross gambling revenue (GGR) during FY2024/25, up from R59.3bn (US$3.68bn) in FY2023/24. Total gambling turnover reached about R1.5tn (US$93.1bn) during FY2024/25.
Betting accounted for the largest share of industry revenue, generating R52.3bn (US$3.25bn), or 70 per cent of total GGR, during FY2024/25.
The NGB has previously reported that 65.7 per cent of South Africans participated in gambling during FY2023/24, while its reported problem gambling prevalence was 31 per cent. The figures underline the scale of the regulator’s public education responsibility as gambling participation and betting activity increase.
The Western Cape outreach will therefore combine consumer education with direct engagement at locations frequented by young people. The NGB’s message throughout the five-day programme centres on setting spending limits, making informed choices and recognising that gambling should not be used as a substitute for household income.
