South African Archbishop calls for more oversight of online gambling
Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba has labelled online gambling an “evil” in his Easter sermon, warning of its growing social impact across South Africa.
Speaking at St George’s Cathedral, Makgoba pointed to the rapid expansion of the sector, citing National Treasury data showing betting revenue has surged by 390% over the past five years, from R10.6 billion to R52 billion. Online betting alone is estimated to generate more than R44 billion annually.
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“At a recent meeting, Anglican bishops from across Southern Africa gave accounts ranging from pensioners in South Africa gambling away their SASSA grants to students squandering financial aid for their studies,” Makgoba said.
“We heard of graduates who can’t find work borrowing money to gamble with in the hope of making a living, and of young people committing suicide in despair as a result of losing everything.”
Makgoba called for urgent intervention, including potential restrictions on gambling advertising, comparing the issue to past public health responses to smoking and alcohol.
“We need to treat gambling the way we dealt with smoking and alcohol, and consider banning – or at least imposing strict restrictions on – gambling advertising,” he said.
Online gambling in South Africa has expanded significantly in recent years, increasingly incorporating casino-style games alongside sports betting, though the legality and regulation of such offerings remain under renewed scrutiny.
South African lawmakers are also considering imposing a 20% tax on gross gambling revenue across the board, but there are growing fears this could lead to a proliferation of offshore betting and iGaming, as local sites are priced out of the market.
