The National Gambling Board (NGB) of South Africa has warned betting shouldn’t be viewed as a solution for financial issues, after a study revealed rising unemployment in the country.
On Thursday the NGB released a statement calling for South Africans to “exercise caution” when gambling and to view it as entertainment rather than as a way to pull themselves out of financial hardship.
According to Statistics South Africa’s (StatsSA) Quarterly Labour Force Survey for Q2 2026, unemployment has risen to 33.6% from 32.7% in Q1.
Lungile Dukwana, acting CEO of the NGB, said the financial pressures facing South African households mean consumers should ensure their basic needs are covered before spending money on gambling.
“The latest figures highlight the difficult circumstances facing many South African households and, during times such as these, every rand matters,” Dukwana said.
“Food, accommodation, transport, education and debt repayments must come before gambling. If you choose to participate, only use money that remains after your essential commitments have been met and only gamble what you can afford to lose. Protect the money you have to sustain your family.”
Financial risks more apparent for South Africa’s youth
The effects are particularly apparent for the 15-24 age group, with the StatsSA survey finding 36.4% of that category are neither in employment, education nor training.
With that in consideration, the NGB highlighted its own study – 2023/24 Socio-Economic Impact of Gambling in South Africa – which found gambling participation was highest among South Africans aged between 25 and 34.
The NGB’s study also revealed 54% of gamblers indicated they use winnings from betting to purchase basic household necessities, while 43% use gambling profits to pay debts or bills.
With the NGB noting younger people “continue to experience disproportionately high levels of economic exclusion”, the board warned against viewing gambling as a form of income.
“We recognise the heavy burdens facing young people across the country. Our message is not one of judgment, but of protection,” Dukwana declared.
“Gambling is an uncertain activity and there is no guarantee of winning. It should never replace the pursuit of sustainable employment, education or other legitimate opportunities for economic participation.”
NGB’s portal for verified operators
The NGB also reminded South Africans to only gamble with licensed operators, highlighting the availability of its Verified Gambling Operators Web Portal. The portal allows bettors to check the licence status of a gambling operator before they play with them.
Dukwana previously explained the portal was South Africa’s first comprehensive attempt to display both land-based and certain online gambling licences in a single location.
南非国家赌博委员会（NGB）警告称，赌博不应被视为解决财务问题的途径。此前一项研究显示，该国失业率正在上升。
周四，NGB发布声明，呼吁南非人在赌博时“保持谨慎”，并将其视为一种娱乐方式，而非摆脱财务困境的手段。
根据南非统计局（StatsSA）发布的2026年第二季度季度劳动力调查，失业率已从第一季度的32.7%上升至33.6%。
NGB代理首席执行官Lungile Dukwana表示，南非家庭面临的财务压力意味着消费者在将资金用于赌博之前，应确保基本需求已得到满足。
“最新数据凸显了许多南非家庭面临的困难处境，在这样的时期，每一兰特都至关重要，”Dukwana表示。
“食品、住房、交通、教育和债务偿还必须优先于赌博。如果你选择参与，只应使用在满足必要支出后剩余的资金，并且只赌你输得起的金额。保护好你维持家庭生计所需的钱。”
南非年轻人面临的财务风险更为明显
这种影响在15至24岁年龄组中尤为明显，StatsSA的调查发现，该群体中有36.4%的人既未就业，也未在接受教育或培训。
考虑到这一点，NGB强调了其自身的研究——2023/24年南非赌博社会经济影响——该研究发现，25至34岁的南非人赌博参与率最高。
NGB的研究还显示，54%的赌徒表示他们用赌博赢来的钱购买基本家庭必需品，而43%的人用赌博收益偿还债务或账单。
NGB指出，年轻人“继续经历着不成比例的高水平经济排斥”，并警告不要将赌博视为一种收入来源。
“我们认识到全国各地年轻人面临的沉重负担。我们的信息不是评判，而是保护，”Dukwana表示。
“赌博是一种不确定的活动，无法保证获胜。它永远不应取代对可持续就业、教育或其他合法经济参与机会的追求。”
NGB的持牌运营商查询门户
NGB还提醒南非人只与持牌运营商赌博，并强调了其持牌赌博运营商网络门户的可用性。该门户允许投注者在与赌博运营商交易前查询其牌照状态。
Dukwana此前曾解释称，该门户是南非首次尝试将实体赌博牌照和某些在线赌博牌照集中展示在同一平台。