Casinos still thrive in South Africa

New data reveals that the casino industry is still the biggest modality in the local gambling market.

South Africa.- According to the new edition of Gambling Outlook for South Africa, published by PwC, the casino industry in South Africa is still the most important sector of the country’s gambling market.

The information collected goes back to the end of 2015 and forecasts to 2020. The company stated that South Africa will experience a 6 percent annual growth until 2020, with US$2.6 billion in revenue, almost US$600 million more than two years ago. Whilst casino revenue went through a 6.7 percent expansion in 2015, PwC estimates that the market will grow to US$1.6 billion three years from now. Despite the overall good numbers, the market has been shrinking in the past few years, from 81 percent in 2011, to 70 percent in 2015.

On the other hand, sports betting has been growing exponentially: it improved 51 percent to US$179 million. The gambling modality grew five times the number it registered in 2011, jumping from 22 percent in 2011 to 54 percent in 2015, and a forecast of two thirds by 2020.