Financial pressure is pushing millions of South African workers toward sports betting and online gambling, with many hoping a lucky win can help them meet daily expenses or escape mounting debt.
According to Old Mutual's Savings and Investments Monitor 2026, 53% of employed South Africans aged 18 to 65 who earn at least 8,000 rand ($477) a month now rely on betting as a source of extra income. About 42% said they gamble frequently, hoping to win enough money to bridge budget shortfalls.
Separate data by Stats SA also shows how much gambling has become part of everyday spending. When it looked at how households spend money on fun activities like sports, gym, games, books, and tickets, more than half of that money (54.5%) went to gambling.
Lower-income households hit hardest
The trend is most pronounced among lower- and middle-income earners. More than half of workers earning between 8,000 and 15,000 rand a month said they use betting to supplement their cash flow.
