TURNING TO GAMBLING FOR SURVIVAL

SA’s economic struggles fuel rise in problem gambling

- ANITA NKONKI

AS SOUTH Africa faces ongoing economic challenges, a troubling trend has emerged with many citizens increasingly turning to gambling, not as a form of entertainment but as a desperate means of survival.

What was once considered a leisure activity has morphed into a coping mechanism for financial hardship, leading to an alarming uptick in problem gambling.

A popular betting site, BettaBets conducted a study during their Smart Money Management Workshop in Crossroads, Mpumalanga, revealing some concerning statistics about gambling.

A staggering 54% of participants admitted to using grant money to feed their gambling habits, a situation exacerbated by an absence of income opportunities.

With joblessness rampant, 89% of those surveyed reported being unemployed; many individuals feel that gambling could be their ticket to financial stability.

Independent Media spoke to local punters and unveiled a trend revealing that they use their gambling winnings to sustain themselves, with each using R500 or more on gambling.

“I work, but I bet to gain extra money to buy things such as electricity, food and other essentials that I cannot afford with just my salary,” explained one participant.

Another shared, “I don’t have any income, so I rely on odd jobs and betting to make ends meet.

“At first it was for entertainment until I got a winning ticket; thus, when I started to play to make extra cash. The winnings help me a lot; I sometimes use the money to buy clothes. I spend R300 to R500,” said another punter.