The National Gambling Board (NGB) plans to tighten regulations on gambling advertising in South Africa, which has surged in recent years without sufficient guidelines. The NGB aims to implement significant fines and temporary advertising suspensions for non-compliance.
In a recent presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition, the gambling watchdog highlighted the increasing prevalence of gambling advertisements across the country. Many South Africans have noticed a rise in these ads, featuring logos of major gambling companies displayed prominently in airports, sports stadiums, and on social media.
The NGB explained that the lack of guidelines has normalized gambling in society and fostered harmful habits. “Regulations, norms, and standards governing gambling advertising are needed to protect punters from the negative social consequences of gambling and to educate the public about its risks,” the board stated.
To address these issues, the NGB has undertaken compliance oversight of the country’s nine provincial licensing authorities. The board is also engaging with sports regulators regarding sponsorships from unlicensed operators and has raised concerns with South Africa’s Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB), as well as social media providers like Google.
In particular, the NGB aims to protect young and vulnerable South Africans by banning the use of individuals who appear to be under 25 in gambling advertisements and prohibiting “youth-appealing” imagery or characters. The board is also looking to tighten licensing conditions to require age-gating, placement checks, and record-keeping.
The NGB warns that non-compliance with these tighter recommendations could result in severe consequences, including fines of up to 5% of companies’ advertising spending or temporary advertising suspensions. The board is also focused on reducing incidental exposure to gambling ads on TV by restricting advertising to specific hours.
Earlier in 2025, Rise Mzansi launched a petition to regulate gambling advertisements on TV, radio, and online. The proliferation of online gambling in South Africa, now the most popular form of gambling, has also led to a rise in “problem gambling.” The NGB’s presentation revealed a 31% prevalence of problem gambling in the 2023/24 financial year.
Old Mutual recently conducted an analysis of how online gambling affects South Africans’ finances, revealing that 52% of working South Africans gamble, with the highest rates among men aged 30 to 49. The report found that 40% of working South Africans gamble frequently, often hoping to cover expenses and debt.
Notably, the incidence of gambling is higher among lower-income earners, with nearly half of those earning between R8,000 and R15,000 gambling frequently to manage expenses. The survey indicated that the majority of gambling occurs online, primarily through betting apps. Sports betting ranked as the most popular type at 61%, followed by the lotto at 53% and slots at 52%.
More than 60% of gamblers engage in gambling at least once a week, with around 40% gambling even more frequently. Approximately 10% admitted to gambling every day. Alarmingly, almost 30% of frequent gamblers reported starting when a betting company offered them a starter wallet or a voucher.
Old Mutual’s data also indicated that 20% of gamblers had to borrow, use credit, or sell personal items to fund their gambling. Around 25% acknowledged experiencing financial difficulties directly resulting from their gambling activities.
As online gambling is expected to grow further, it is projected that 60% of the country’s gross gambling revenue will come from online betting in the 2024/25 financial year, outpacing all other forms of gambling.
