With South Africa's unemployment rate rising, the National Gambling Board warns citizens against viewing gambling as a financial solution. A young man's story of addiction highlights the dangers of gambling during economic hardship
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With South Africa's unemployment rate rising, the National Gambling Board warns citizens against viewing gambling as a financial solution. A young man's story of addiction highlights the dangers of gambling during economic hardship
The National Gambling Board (NGB) has called on citizens to safeguard their household finances and exercise caution when participating in gambling activities following the release of Statistics South Africa's Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2026.
According to Stats SA, South Africa's official unemployment rate increased from 32.7% in the first quarter to 33.6% in the second quarter, underscoring the difficult economic environment facing millions of people.
Young South Africans remain particularly vulnerable. The survey found that 36.4% of people aged between 15 and 24 were not in employment, education or training, highlighting the extent of economic exclusion among the country's youth.
Against this backdrop, the NGB has stressed that gambling should not be viewed as a financial lifeline.
The NGB's 2023/24 Socio-Economic Impact of Gambling in South Africa study found that 55% of identified problem gamblers were aged between 25 and 34.
'My addiction'
A young South African shares his harrowing experience with gambling addiction, highlighting the financial and emotional toll it takes on individuals and families amid rising unemployment.
For the 22-year-old recovering gambling addict from Durban, the consequences of gambling became increasingly severe after what initially appeared to be harmless entertainment.
The young man, who works in the finance sector, asked to remain anonymous because of the personal nature of his experience.
He said began gambling shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was still in high school.
“At first, it was not a serious habit. It was something I did for fun. Having grown up with a passion for sports, I believed it was an easy way to make some extra money while I was still in school.”
Initially, his gambling was occasional, with bets placed once every weekend or every second weekend.
That changed after he experienced a significant loss.
Attempt to recover the money
At the time, he was unemployed and attending university. Rather than accepting the loss, he began gambling in an attempt to recover the money.
“What started as an attempt to recover that loss quickly spiralled into an addiction,” he said.
Ironically, a subsequent big win reinforced his belief that he could continue gambling successfully.
“That one big win ended up becoming my greatest loss. It created a false sense of confidence, making me believe that I could always win again or recover my losses. In reality, the losses almost always outweighed the wins.”
What began as entertainment and an attempt to make additional money eventually saw him gambling with money intended for more important priorities.
“When I began gambling with money that was meant for more important things related to my future, I knew I had a problem,” he said.
He said the realisation came too late, with gambling eventually affecting his daily life.
The now recovering gambler said one of the most damaging aspects of gambling addiction was the constant mental focus on the next potential win.
“When I was gambling, I would often start the day feeling excited because I already had plans for money that I had not even won yet,” he said.
Stress and anxiety
Instead, he often ended his days experiencing stress and anxiety.
“You struggle to focus on anything else. You constantly find yourself checking scores, races, tips, and results.”
The distraction affected his ability to concentrate on other areas of his life, including his studies and employment.
For him, the motivation eventually became less about entertainment and increasingly about money.
“Gambling was enjoyable in the beginning when it was just a form of entertainment and there were no losses to recover. However, once addiction takes hold, it becomes all about money,” he said.
“When you find yourself short of cash, you start risking your last cent in the hope of turning things around because you feel you have no other options.”
He warned that this is precisely when gambling can become most dangerous.
“When you look at the bigger picture, that is the worst decision you can make. You will almost always end up in a worse financial position.”
He said gambling created a cycle in which money intended for essential household expenses could become part of the next bet.
“For example, you might tell yourself, ‘I am short on food this month. Let me use the money I have set aside for electricity and try to make a profit. The electricity bill is only due in the middle of the month.’”
But once that money was lost, the financial pressure became even greater.
“Before you know it, that money is gone too. Now you have no money for food or electricity. As a result, you start borrowing or taking out loans, creating an even bigger problem for yourself.”
He said his own gambling also consumed money he had saved for his future, including education and emergencies.
“There was absolutely no reason for me to touch that money, yet I did. As a result, I had to start over from scratch, which placed me under significant financial strain.”
The experience has left him particularly concerned about the impact gambling can have at a time when the cost of living is already placing pressure on households.
“With the rising cost of living, life was already expensive enough without gambling making matters worse,” he said.
One of the biggest challenges he encountered was the desire to recover money that had already been lost.
“It is human nature to want to recover something you have lost. However, when it comes to gambling, it is far better to admit defeat and seek help before the situation worsens.”
He said attempts to recover losses can continue for years while the gambler becomes increasingly financially vulnerable.
“You can spend years trying to recover your losses, only to end up creating even bigger problems for yourself. The house always wins.”
His gambling eventually placed both him and his household under significant financial strain.
“My attempts to recover my losses placed both me and my household under financial strain, something we had never experienced before. Our entire lifestyle had to change, and many sacrifices had to be made.”
The consequences extended beyond finances.
He said gambling also damaged relationships and eroded the trust of people close to him.
“You lose the trust of friends and family when gambling begins to take over your life,” he said.
“People will help you initially, but when you find yourself in the same situation repeatedly, you may start telling lies to get money or avoid difficult conversations.”
“During that process, you lose trust, respect, your reputation, and sometimes even important relationships. That is exactly what happened to me,” he added.
The addiction also affected his education and career.
He said there were occasions when he would gamble during lunch breaks while at university and later while working.
“Once a bet is placed, you become distracted. You are constantly checking your phone for scores and results.”
He said the emotional highs and lows associated with gambling affected his wellbeing, concentration and performance.
“In most cases, things do not go your way, and the emotional rollercoaster that follows affects your wellbeing, concentration, and performance in every aspect of life.”
Funding another bet
He described the constant search for money to fund another bet as a defining feature of his addiction.
“Many gamblers will relate when I say, ‘There is always a plan for the next bet.’ As a gambler, you always find a way to get money for the next bet, and you often have plans for the winnings before you have even won.”
In his case, he repeatedly convinced himself that the next win would provide the money needed to settle debts and overdue bills.
“However, as I have said before, the house always wins. Those bets never paid off. Instead, I dug myself into a deeper hole that I could not escape.”
Eventually, he reached a point where he could no longer continue.
“I was emotionally, mentally, and financially exhausted. Enough was enough.”
His recovery began when he acknowledged that he had a gambling problem and sought help.
“I admitted defeat. It takes real courage to admit defeat.”
Although acknowledging the addiction was painful, he said accepting the problem became the first step towards rebuilding his life.
He joined Gamblers Anonymous and has remained gambling-free since then.
“The meetings have had a significant impact on my life. Every day, I reflect, learn, and strive to become a better person.”
He believes his recovery would not have been possible without admitting that he needed assistance.
“None of this would have been possible if I had not admitted defeat and reached out for help.”
The recovering gambler said people struggling with gambling should not be ashamed to seek assistance.
“There is always someone out there who has experienced even greater hardship, which is why seeking help is so important.”
He stressed that support does not necessarily have to take the form of financial assistance.
“Sometimes, simply listening to someone else's story and sharing your own in a room where nobody judges you can be life-changing.”
His advice to people concerned about their gambling is to conduct an honest assessment of what the activity has actually cost them.
He encouraged gamblers to ask themselves two questions:
“What have I truly gained from gambling, and what have I truly lost because of gambling?”
He believes answering those questions honestly can change the way a person views their gambling behaviour.
The young man's experience provides a personal illustration of the broader warning being issued by the NGB at a time when unemployment remains high and many households are under financial pressure.
His message is simple: gambling should never be treated as a way to solve financial problems.
“I would also want people to know that there is no shame in admitting defeat and asking for help,” he said.
“You are already taking losses every day through gambling. Instead, take one difficult step that could become your greatest victory in the end: overcoming the addiction and rebuilding your life.”
He said he remains willing to support others who may be experiencing similar difficulties.
“I am always willing to help others who may be facing the same struggle,” he said.
