South Africa has quickly grown into Africa’s top gambling hub with the gambling industry making tremendous growth. In just four years, the industry grew by 550% to reach a turnover of R1.14 trillion in the fiscal year 2023–24. If you don’t know how big that is, it’s nearly 17% of the country’s GDP.
There are a number of reasons why this growth trend has become this massive. One of them is the availability of bonuses. Sites like Betterbonus showcase bonuses that are attractive to players all over the world. These bonuses make gambling more interesting as they give you the opportunity to play your favorite casino games without having to use your own money.
But truth be told, the South African gambling market is bigger than it’s been reported. To think that the reported figure is only the measurable part reported by locally licensed operators is just insane. There is offshore gambling, where numbers are not reported to South Africa’s National Gambling Board. Additionally, there is the underground black market, which is hard to quantify. According to Yield Sec data, in the fiscal year 2023–24, approximately 27% of South Africans wagered with illegal operators. That’s a story for another day.
What is leading to this growth?
As per the news given, the industry growth shows no sign of faltering any time soon. So far, the hard-to-imagine growth rate has already made something like a structural feature of the economy. Actually, in 2024–25, online platforms in South Africa accounted for 60% of the gross gambling revenue. Its roots also seem to grow deeper every waking day. But the main question in everyone’s minds remains: why is this the case? Some of the reasons are highlighted below.
The convenience of online gambling
Online casino gaming has become the hot spot of the gambling industry because of its convenience. Imagine a world where you are able to experience all you can in a casino without having to leave your house. No more dressing up when you don’t feel like it, no more paparazzi for the influential people and being able to gamble for a few minutes, then leaving the tables without feeling that you’ve wasted your time.
Speaking about convenience, you are given the opportunity to gamble at whatever time you feel like. For example, most of the physical casinos all across the country open in the afternoon and run until late into the night. What about when you just want to have some fun early in the morning? That’s what online gambling offers, and it is appealing to so many people.
Also, you are able to experience your favorite games whenever you are. For example, if you are traveling for a business meeting in Pretoria from Durban, you just need your device and an internet connection and you can enjoy your games as you board your plane.
Smartphone penetration and the rise of mobile gambling
Mobile gambling has become the new form of gambling all over the world. In fact, mobile gambling brings in most of the revenue in the gambling industry with SLDC Corp stating that 85% of the global online gambling revenue comes from mobile platforms. Additionally, data from a recent Research and Markets report stated that mobile gambling was expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.7% between 2024 and 2030. Since this trend is global, South Africa is no different.
As mobile gambling gains more traction, another factor stamps the growth: mobile penetration. Statistics from DataReportal show that by early 2024, South Africa had 118.6 million active smartphones with a penetration of 195.4%. In the same report, there were over 45.4 million internet users, which represents a penetration rate of 74.7%. With these kinds of statistics and mobile gambling gaining deeper roots, it all makes sense why gambling has become a huge thing in the country.
Aggressive marketing is taking over
If there is one thing that gambling companies are good at, it is extensive marketing. With the current digital world, marketing has become even more ferocious than you could ever have imagined. Take, for instance, Betway, which took it a notch higher by showing ads via a pilot free wifi service in selected Home Affairs offices. Even though that was short-lived, you can see the heights to which gambling companies are going.
With social media being at the center of digital marketing, many online gambling companies are using social media sites to their advantage. Platforms like YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have become the main channels where sportsbooks and online casinos promote their content. Companies are also taking advantage of influencer marketing to make their brands even more recognized. Popular celebrities who have been used as gambling ambassadors in South Africa include:
- Eben and Anlia Etzebeth: Decorated Springbok rugby player Eben and his wife Anlia, an actress and singer
- Robert Marawa: Prominent sports broadcaster
- DJ Zinhle: Top-rated DJ and entrepreneur
- K.O.: Hip-hop artist
Sponsorships are the real deal
Apart from this kind of marketing, gambling companies have been using sponsorships to gain more influence. For example, Betway is the title sponsor of South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL), which is now called the Betway Premiership. Also, Cricket South Africa (CSA) unveiled Dafabet as the shirt sponsor of its international teams. With such kind of sponsorships, these gambling companies have more reach to the already concentrated sports market in the country.
The South African gambling market has been growing at a tremendous rate and with the current statistics, it seems like it will not be going down any time soon. The reasons for the growth are also quite clear and people can only expect bigger growth. You can be sure that in the next few years, the South African market will be rivaling some of the global markets like the United States and the UK.
