Lucky man celebrating victory after getting jackpot in online casino. Poker tournament on the laptop screen on the background.
It is staggering to think that South Africans – many of whom are cash-strapped and struggling to put food on the table – spent R1.5 trillion in the past year on gambling.
The National Gambling Board (NGB), which regulates the industry, is getting worried about the explosion of easily-accessible, “always on” online gambling platforms.
These are particularly tempting for young people, the NGB says… and youth are being placed at risk.
Younger generations, who may have had no family or societal exposure to gambling in any form, now find it shoved in their faces digitally, whether via mobile devices or computers.
Coupled to that is the gambling advertising, which has hit our marketing sector like a tsunami over the past few years.
ALSO READ: R1.5 trillion turnover: Online gambling snares South Africa’s youth
It is colourful, fast-paced and uniformly tempts with the pitch that massive money can be won.
Winners are portrayed living the high life of mansions, private jets and luxury cars.
The NGB, quite correctly, we believe, wants to restrict the use of characters in such ads to those over 25 only, as well as introducing “age-gating” and vetting on sites to ensure youngsters are excluded.
It’s bad enough that adults who gamble damage their families and society, without raising a new generation of suckers.
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