Gross gambling revenue in South Africa reached R84.5 billion in the 2025/26 financial year on turnover of about R1.8 trillion, according to National Gambling Board (NGB) figures reported by IOL on 20 October. The figures came out alongside the Rogerwilco 2026 Township Customer Experience Report, which found that more than half of stokvel savers had gambled at least once in the past year because of financial distress.
The NGB numbers
| Measure, 2025/26 | Value |
|---|---|
| Turnover (total amount bet) | About R1.8 trillion |
| Gross gambling revenue | R84.5 billion |
| Betting share of revenue | R62.2 billion |
| Online betting, six provinces in the data | R55.6 billion |
| Retail betting | R6.4 billion |
All figures are from IOL. For comparison, the NGB 2025/26 annual report puts 2024/25 gross gambling revenue at R74.5 billion. An earlier version of this article gave R74.9 billion, a figure quoted in some reports; we corrected it on 30 October 2026.
What the NGB study found
The NGB's 2023/24 socio-economic impact study, also cited by IOL, found that 59% of gamblers surveyed said they would have more money for savings if they did not gamble, and 48% said they would have more for household necessities. It classified 31% of those surveyed as problem gamblers and 29% as moderate risk. Of the problem gamblers, 67% earned less than R9,000 a month. The study did not show that gambling caused every respondent's money problems.
"Gambling should never be regarded as a source of income or a solution to financial hardship," acting NGB chief executive Lungile Dukwana said. The board says it is expanding education at universities and TVET colleges.
What it means for you
Online betting now makes up most of the betting revenue in the NGB's data, and that includes Spina Zonke and other slots sold through bookmakers. The house keeps a share of every rand over time, so a slot cannot fix a short month. Keep stokvel money, rent and transport money out of your betting wallet. If you want a break, self-exclusion is available, and our responsible gambling page explains how. The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation helpline is 0800 006 008, free, 24 hours a day, or WhatsApp 076 675 0710.