The growing clamour to outlaw gambling advertising

We at 80eight noted the extent of South Africa’s gambling problem some months ago. It’s interesting to see this is now part of the national dialogue,Famous Brands, Capitec and Pick n Pay CEO Sean Summers weighing in on the impact of the economy.

We now have updated stats from the National Gambling Board showing gambling sucking R74 billion a year out of the economy and into the pockets of a few shareholders, most of them sitting overseas.

Summers says SA should consider a ban on online gambling, and backs this up with some startling stats:

A fifth of SA Social Security Agency grant money goes on gambling

R1.5 trillion was being spent (or churned) in gambling each year. The house ends up taking 3-5% of this.

The more than R70 billion in revenue (in other words, the money the house gets to keep) is equivalent to Pick n Pay’s annual revenue.

“If one looks at online gambling, they don’t create jobs.You know, these programme writers are all sitting in places offshore,” saidSummers in a recent results presentation.

This is what Famous Brands wrote in its 2025 annual report: “The rise of online gambling has emerged as a significant concern for consumer spending patterns in South Africa. Platforms such as sports betting apps are capturing a growing share of discretionary budgets, particularly among lower-to middle-income households, leading to reduced footfall at quick-service restaurants. This shift represents a structural challenge to our sector, as it competes directly with affordable entertainment and social outings, further straining household finances amid high inflation and unemployment.”

Capitec also warned about the surge in online gambling last year. The online gambling epidemic spiked right after Covid and now appears to be out of control.

Look at this graph from the National Gambling Board:

If smoking advertising is banned, why not gambling?