Rise Mzansi dubs online gambling the ‘new pandemic', demands stricter regulations

Rise Mzansi is calling for a major overhaul of online gambling regulations, citing the industry's increasing impact on vulnerable groups, including grant recipients and students.

The party is advocating for a series of reforms, including raising gambling taxes, a crackdown on illegal operators, and increasing contributions to responsible gambling initiatives.

Introducing a parliamentary debate on Friday, member of Parliament (MP) Makashule Gana warned that online gambling is rapidly becoming the country’s “new pandemic”.

This sentiment is supported by new research that shows economically strained South Africans are increasingly gambling away their stipends and grants online as they battle the high cost of living.

"These companies are not only extracting money, they are normalising gambling through relentless advertising and social media influencer campaigns," Gana stated.

The call for urgent reform comes against the backdrop of massive industry growth.

The annual report of the National Gambling Board revealed that gambling generated a staggeringR75 billion in revenue last year, thanks to South Africans who collectively wagered R1.5 trillion across its platforms.

Online betting alone accounts for a dominant 70% of all gambling revenue, compared to 22% for casinos.

Despite the gross revenue, the industry spent only R74 million on rehabilitating gambling addicts last year. Rise Mzansi’s Makashule Gana argues that this figure is insufficient and highlights the need for intervention.

Gana is proposing seven reforms for Parliament to consider, aimed at protection rather than prohibition.

Key proposals include:

• Limiting advertising hours for online gambling
• Raising taxes on the industry to at least 8%
• Increasing contributions to responsible gambling initiatives to one percent of gross gambling revenue
• Introducing stricter controls on influencer marketing used to promote betting

“These reforms are not about prohibition, they are about protection,” Gana said.

“We cannot sit idle while a trillion-rand industry feeds on the despair of the poor and the hopes of the young.”

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