A generation at risk: Why South Africa must tighten gambling laws

The numbers are troubling. During the 2025-26 financial year, the helpline run by the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation recorded 5 199 SOS calls for gambling-related harm, a 24.8% increase from the previous year. More than half of those – 2 670 individuals – were people between the ages of 18 and 35, including 198 students. These are not mere statistics. They represent a generation caught in a perfect storm: a suffocating cost of living, scarce job opportunities and a gambling industry that has made betting as accessible as tapping a smartphone screen. While industry and government scramble to respond with educational programmes and proposed regulations, the scale of the crisis demands far tougher, immediate action. The primary driver of the crisis is the explosion of online betting. Online platforms account for about 60% of the market, with digital marketing saturating every corner of young people's lives. Sports betting giants have enlisted celebrities and athletes as brand ambassadors, normalising gambling as a quick route to financial relief. Yet the reality is that gambling preys on financial desperation, often deepening poverty. The harm is not just financial; it is psychological and potentially fatal. The number of student cases involving suicidal thoughts, reported to the National Responsible Gambling Programme, rose by 34.2%; up from 38 to 51 cases. The terrifying trend illustrates that for many, gambling is not entertainment but an addiction that can lead to the ultimate despair. There is a growing consensus that the status quo is untenable. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition is reviewing the National Gambling Amendment Bill to address online gambling and advertising gaps. The Advertising Regulatory Board is tightening its self-regulatory Gambling Code to restrict marketing to minors and limit the portrayal of gambling as a solution to financial problems. The National Treasury has proposed a 20% tax on online gambling revenue; a measure intended to generate more than R10-billion a year for the fiscus while serving as a deterrent. However, the proposals may be too little, too late. The industry, as exemplified by one big local player, acknowledges the risks, warning that increased regulation may be 'onerous' for operations. The conflict of interest underscores the need for tougher and binding regulation. The case for urgent reform is overwhelming. The current laws, drafted before the era of smartphones, have failed to curb the rise of addictive behaviour. South Africa must ban gambling advertising that targets young people, enforce stringent limits on online betting accessibility and invest in addiction treatment and financial literacy programmes for students. The draft National Gambling Amendment Bill provides a vehicle for change but it must be robust enough to withstand industry lobbying. A 21.4% increase in student cases and a 34.2% rise in suicidal ideation are an indictment. It is time to turn concern into decisive, enforceable action to save a generation from the devastating pitfalls of gambling. The numbers are troubling. During the 2025-26 financial year, the helpline run by the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation recorded 5 199 SOS calls for gambling-related harm, a 24.8% increase from the previous year. More than half of those – 2 670 individuals – were people between the ages of 18 and 35, including 198 students. The se are not mere statistics. The y represent a generation caught in a perfect storm: a suffocating cost of living, scarce job opportunities and a gambling industry that has made betting as accessible as tapping a smartphone screen. While industry and government scramble to respond with educational programmes and proposed regulations, the scale of the crisis demands far tougher, immediate action. The primary driver of the crisis is the explosion of online betting. Online platforms account for about 60% of the market, with digital marketing saturating every corner of young people's lives. Sports betting giants have enlisted celebrities and athletes as brand ambassadors, normalising gambling as a quick route to financial relief. Yet the reality is that gambling preys on financial desperation, often deepening poverty. The harm is not just financial; it is psychological and potentially fatal. The number of student cases involving suicidal thoughts, reported to the National Responsible Gambling Programme, rose by 34.2%; up from 38 to 51 cases. The terrifying trend illustrates that for many, gambling is not entertainment but an addiction that can lead to the ultimate despair. The re is a growing consensus that the status quo is untenable. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition is reviewing the National Gambling Amendment Bill to address online gambling and advertising gaps. The Advertising Regulatory Board is tightening its self-regulatory Gambling Code to restrict marketing to minors and limit the portrayal of gambling as a solution to financial problems. The National Treasury has proposed a 20% tax on online gambling revenue; a measure intended to generate more than R10-billion a year for the fiscus while serving as a deterrent. However, the proposals may be too little, too late. The industry, as exemplified by one big local player, acknowledges the risks, warning that increased regulation may be 'onerous' for operations. The conflict of interest underscores the need for tougher and binding regulation. The case for urgent reform is overwhelming. The current laws, drafted before the era of smartphones, have failed to curb the rise of addictive behaviour. South Africa must ban gambling advertising that targets young people, enforce stringent limits on online betting accessibility and invest in addiction treatment and financial literacy programmes for students. The draft National Gambling Amendment Bill provides a vehicle for change but it must be robust enough to withstand industry lobbying. A 21.4% increase in student cases and a 34.2% rise in suicidal ideation are an indictment. It is time to turn concern into decisive, enforceable action to save a generation from the devastating pitfalls of gambling.