The National Gambling Board (NGB) has called on South Africans to safeguard their household finances and exercise caution when participating in gambling activities after a study found that 55% of identified problem gamblers are aged between 25 and 34.
The NGB said the caution comes after the release of Statistics South Africa's Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2026, which paints a concerning picture of the economic pressures facing many South Africans.
According to Stats SA, the official unemployment rate increased from 32.7% in the first quarter to 33.6% in the second quarter.
The survey also recorded approximately 8.5 million unemployed people, 345,000 more than in the first quarter, while the number of employed people stood at approximately 16.7 million, 16,000 fewer than in the preceding quarter.
It also said young people remain particularly affected, with 36.4% of South Africans aged 15 to 24 neither in employment, education nor training.
