As households struggle to keep up with rising living costs, some South Africans are turning to gambling.
Amid escalating living costs, a growing number of South Africans are turning to gambling as a means to alleviate financial strain.
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 is the most prevalent form of gambling, with 63% of participants, followed by slots at 46% and lotto at 42%. Furthermore, 26% engage in casino table games, while 11% bet on horse racing, highlighting a concerning trend in financial coping strategies.
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.
