South African foundation flags surge in sports betting help calls amid financial pressure
The organisation warned that easy access to betting apps can encourage frequent wagering and make mounting losses harder to recognise.
South Africa.- The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF) has reported a sharp increase in people seeking help over sports betting, with its counselling lines recording more than eight times as many bookmaker-related calls in 2025/26 as in the previous financial year.
Speaking to the Sunday Tribune, Sibongile Simelane-Quntana, foundation executive director, linked the increase to financial pressure, unemployment and rising living costs, particularly among people aged 25 to 34.
Calls concerning bookmaker sports betting rose from 178 in 2024/25 to 1,451 in 2025/26, according to Simelane-Quntana. She said the figures were alarming because it represented people who had recognised they needed help, while others experiencing gambling-related harm may not have sought assistance.
Simelane-Quntana said financial difficulties could lead some people to view betting as a way to supplement their income or recover from economic pressures. However, losses can instead lead to repeated betting, borrowing and growing debt.
She also pointed to the accessibility of betting apps as a factor that can increase gambling frequency. According to the Foundation, mobile platforms allow users to place bets at any time, while the ease of making small wagers can make it difficult to track how quickly losses accumulate.
Simelane-Quntana also clarified the distinction between online gambling and online betting in South Africa. While online gambling is illegal, online betting is permitted under the country’s regulatory framework.
SARGF is advocating for stronger and more consistent player-protection measures as online betting expands. Its recommendations include greater harmonisation of existing protections, an integrated national cooling-off system and compliance with requirements under the National Gambling Act and related regulations.
The Foundation advised consumers to keep gambling expenditure separate from household finances and only allocate money for betting after essential expenses have been covered. It also urged people not to borrow money to gamble or attempt to recover previous losses through further betting.
Simelane-Quntana said families should take notice when gambling results in unpaid bills, borrowing, secrecy around money or gambling taking priority over household responsibilities.
