As households struggle to keep up with rising living costs, some South Africans are turning to gambling
As households struggle to keep up with rising living costs, some South Africans are turning to gambling in an attempt to supplement their income and manage financial pressure.
This is according to the Old Mutual Savings and Investment Monitor 2026, which found that 53% of working South Africans gamble, while 42% say they often gamble to help cover their expenses or debt.
Sports betting remains the most popular form of gambling, with 63% of gamblers taking part, followed by slots (46%) and lotto (42%). Casino table games were played by 26% of gamblers, while 11% placed bets on horse racing.
Even more worrying, the number of people who say gambling has left them in financial difficulty has almost doubled, rising from 12% in 2025 to 22% this year.
