South Africa’s gambling revenue was reported as ZAR75 billion ($4.3 billion) for the financial year 2024-25, according to a meeting between the market’s gambling regulators and the National Assembly Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition on 16 October.
The session was presented to the committee by the National Gambling Board (NGB) and the National Lotteries Commission (NLC).
Overall turnover across all verticals stood at ZAR1.5 trillion. “Obviously this figure includes all of the [gambling] sectors, and also across the PLAs,” acting Chairman of the NGB Lungile Dukwana told members.
PLAs are Provincial Licensing Authorities that have the power to grant land-based and online licenses within their region. There are nine in South Africa today.
GGR from online betting was up 60% on the previous year, the data showed. And taxes and levies collected by regulatory bodies amounted to ZAR5.8 billion ($335 million), with the betting sector accounting for the greatest share of these taxes (59%) at ZAR3.4 billion.
This was followed by the casino industry (30%) which generated ZAR1.7 billion, Limited Payout Machines (LPM) (9% overall) generated ZAR525 million and finally the bingo industry accounted for 2%.
Provincially, the Western Cape was the major driver in terms of gambling revenue generation (30%), with Mpumalanga coming in second and Gauteng third. Data showed the gambling industry directly employed 33,169 people during the year.
“The [data] gives an indication of the prominence around the area of online betting specifically, which obviously has an effect on the physical casinos,” said Dukwana.
Dukwana was appointed to the head the board following the resignation of former head Caroline Kongwa in July, after a forensic audit flagged “irregular spending” within the department, related to a number of bonuses she had received.
Lottery finances in South Africa
Moving onto key financial movements from the Lottery Commission between 2024 and 2025, ticket sales rose from ZAR1.8 billion to ZAR1.96 billion thanks to an increase in the number of major jackpots, digital penetration and marketing.
Operational costs increased from ZAR533 million to ZAR651 million, while grant expenses also increased from ZAR545 million to ZAR958 million. Irregular expenditures noticeably decreased from ZAR44.9 million to ZAR6.8 million.
Commissioner for the NLC Jodi Scholtz outlined the board’s activities across South Africa’s nine provinces, which included erecting new offices in each, as well as morphing into a more purpose-driven organisation.
Impact of the black market on South Africa
During the session a number of MPs flagged a surge in mobile phone usage was driving up illegal gambling activity among players.
In their coverage of the black market, the regulators told the committee that most of the offshore operators providing unlicensed gambling in the market appeared to be licensed or based in Curaçao.
Dukwana’s presentation also outlined the NGB’s upcoming strategy, which he said would involve the regulator assessing the performance of PLAs, “to ensure the national norms and standards established by the NGA are applied uniformly and consistently throughout the Republic of South Africa”.
Additionally, the national regulator would assist the PLAs in detecting and targeting unlicensed gambling activities in the market.
A meeting between South Africa’s gambling regulators and members of parliament discussed the market’s surging gaming revenue and the threat of the black market.