Desperate to Make Ends Meet, 4 in 10 South Africans Turn to Gambling
Gambling is a problem in South Africa. More than half of South African workers participate in gambling and sports betting, with many doing so in an effort to pay off debt and cover living expenses, according to a recent survey from the top financial services company Old Mutual.
Old Mutual polled people between the ages of 18 and 65 who make at least R8,000 (US$484) per month for its 2026 Savings and Investments Monitor. The annual report explores the financial attitudes, views, and actions of working South Africans in order to gage their financial health.
According to the most recent data, many households with lower and intermediate incomes have resorted to gambling in an attempt to improve their financial situation, which is a concerning truth. About 42% of respondents acknowledged that they "often gamble" in order to "cover expenses or debt."
“Of concern is that 42% of working South Africans acknowledge they gamble frequently hoping to make money that can cover some of their expenses and debt,” the Savings and Investments Monitor reported.
According to the Old Mutual survey, lower earners—those with monthly incomes between R8,000 and R15,000—are "markedly" more likely to use gaming as a way to control spending.
According to the Old Mutual research, 52% of people in the R8,000–R15,000 range gamble in an effort to pay off debt and other obligations. Even higher rates apply to younger people, with 58% of those between the ages of 18 and 29 wagering to cover their expenses.
Low-Income Gambling
Many people have experienced more financial difficulty than benefit from gambling. According to Old Mutual, 22% of people are unable to pay their bills each month due to gaming; this percentage has quadrupled from 12% in 2025.
"Have you found yourself in financial difficulties as a result of your gambling?" is the query. 41% of respondents said "Yes," while 16% said "Yes, frequently."
With only a 1% increase to 53%, the nation's overall gambling participation rate remained relatively stable from year to year. Only 48% of respondents with wages around R60,000 admit they gamble, compared to 58% of earners between R15,000 and R29,999.
With 63% of gamblers claiming to wager on sports, sports betting is the most common type of gambling. The lottery comes in third at 42%, followed by casino slots at 46%. Eleven percent of gamblers wager on horses, while twenty-six percent play casino table games.
32% of gamblers say they wager two or three times a week, and one in ten claim they do it every day. Twenty-three percent play once a week, and twenty-four percent play once or twice a month.
In South Africa, gambling
With land-based casinos, iGaming, parimutuel horse racing, bingo, a national lottery, and sports betting, South Africa boasts a sizable gambling sector.
Beginning in the early 1990s, South Africa placed bets on gambling to raise much-needed funds for social initiatives and infrastructure reconstruction.
