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That R200 bet costs you much more than you think.
Most people know gambling can drain your wallet. But money is only the beginning. Gambling can quietly cost you your mental health, your closest relationships, and your financial future – long before you realise how deep the hole has become.
The cost to your mental health
Gambling disorder is a recognised mental health condition. People caught in the habit often experience anxiety, depression, and shame. The cycle of losing, chasing losses, and losing again creates stress that does not switch off.
According to the National Gambling Board, referrals for gambling-related mental health treatment rose by 55% in the 2024/25 financial year, with young adults aged 18 to 35 making up the biggest share.
Mental health professionals report that suicides linked to gambling problems have also risen sharply. Globally, people with gambling disorders face a suicide risk roughly 15 times higher than the general population, reports the World Health Organisation.
The cost to your relationships
When gambling becomes a habit, secrecy follows. Research confirms that hiding gambling activity is one of the earliest signs a habit has become a problem.
You delete apps before your partner sees your phone.
You avoid calls from family because you know it will end with someone asking for money you do not have.
The lying and withdrawal push people away. Trust breaks down slowly and is hard to rebuild.
The cost to your future
Here is how the debt trap works. You lose. You chase the loss with money you cannot afford.
Now you are short, and the mashonisa starts to look like a solution. It is not. Informal lenders charge interest rates that grow faster than you can repay. Your credit score suffers, and your ability to qualify for a loan or rental agreement takes a knock. A 2025 Old Mutual study found that 52% of working South Africans gamble, and 40% do so hoping to cover expenses or pay off existing debt.
Gambling does not solve a debt problem. It deepens it.
What to do instead
- Tell someone that you are struggling.
- Consider taking the R200 you would have bet. Split it. Put half towards a debt you are paying off. Use the other half to start something: buy stock to resell, offer a service such as tutoring or CV writing, or make a small investment through a platform like Easy Equities.
- Set a firm monthly limit for supporting family and stick to it. Helping others is good. Sinking yourself to do it is not.
Small, consistent financial choices made today create real freedom tomorrow. A bet cannot do that.
Help is available. Contact the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation:
WhatsApp: 076 675 0710
Toll-free number: 0800 006 008
Email: helpline@sargf.org.za
Sources
BizCommunity: How sports betting puts South Africans’ mental health on the line
Daily Maverick: Economic pressure and the gambling surge in SA
IOL: Gambling addiction is fuelling a silent mental health crisis in South Africa
The Citizen: Why gambling cannot help you get rid of debt
The Star: The hidden costs of SA’s gambling crisis
Vantage Debt Management: The Rise in Gambling: A Financial Threat to South African Youth
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