# The Bureau for Economic Research says South Africa’s online sports betting boom needs to be controlled. Betting turnover reached a record 1.5-trillion-rand in 2024/2025. While spending on essentials like food and education hasn’t dropped, people are spending less on other leisure activities. The National Gambling Board is calling for stricter advertising rules and possible levies to curb risky gambling behaviour. The bureau warns that without action, betting could harm financially vulnerable South Africans.
Bureau for Economic Research warns it’s time to rein in uncontrolled sports betting