Don’t let your employees gamble away their lives

The recent Sunday Times editorial, “South Africa’s gambling crisis demands urgent and unified action” (October 20), highlighted the challenge South Africans face with gambling addiction. Distress calls to the national responsible-gambling helpline have surged to more than 1.1-million, and due to the stigma around seeking support it’s likely that millions more are suffering in silence.

If you are a leader in any field working with people, this undoubtedly impacts you. It’s tempting to view gambling as an individual issue, but the problem is systemic. More than half of working South Africans say they gamble in the hope of covering expenses and debt (2025 Old Mutual Savings & Investment Monitor report) and employers are increasingly seeing the ripple effects: absenteeism, fatigue, distraction during working hours, and late-night online gambling. This is particularly problematic in high-risk industries such as mining. Further consequences are showing up in rising debt, emotional distress and declining performance, all at the cost of employees’ wellbeing and their ability to fully contribute at work.

The World Health Organisation (2024) defines gambling addiction or compulsive gambling as persistent and recurring gambling behaviour that leads to clinically significant distress or impairment. It involves risking something of value (usually money) on an event with an uncertain outcome, driven by the desire to win more value. With the rise of online gambling and sports betting post Covid, many South Africans are placing themselves and their families at risk by engaging in this easily accessible pastime.

How big is the problem?

According to the National Gambling Board of South Africa, total value of bets wagered by South Africans increased from about R300bn in financial 2021 to R1-5 trillion four years later; 56% of gamblers say they do it because they need the money, 14% because they have just lost their job.

I hear countless stories of how easy it is to go online and bet on a game or play the slots and how people are unable to put their phone down, avoid the overbearing advertising or the next spin

As an industrial psychologist, I hear countless stories of how easy it is to go online and bet on a game or play the slots and how people are unable to put their phone down, avoid the overbearing advertising or the next spin. I hear of parents who sit with their families while placing bets on their phones, and students who gamble their NSFAS student loan money. I hear painful stories of how financial distress from gambling is making people physically ill and causing relationships to fall apart, and how money that should go to groceries, bills or childcare is being spent in the hope of winning big.

Taking a proactive approach to the crisis

Organisations face a difficult challenge in supporting employees. Easy access through mobile devices and a bombardment of advertising involving famous sports and TV stars make gambling extremely enticing. From a psychological perspective, many South Africans are also using gambling as a distraction from the daily socioeconomic hardships they face.

It is simply not enough to have an employee assistance programme. Staff are often only accessing this support when they are already in crisis.

An intentional effort to provide regular information to employees to prevent them from getting into crisis is urgently needed. This should involve awareness sessions, training and counselling. Leaders need to model how to seek support by telling personal stories of how they have overcome hardships, including addiction. Local wellness champions need to be trained and deployed. These champions can encourage colleagues to find healthy alternatives. In the work environment, it is critical to offer healthy alternatives for employees such as sports and social clubs, support groups and quick and confidential support.

What can organisations do to better support their employees?

We need a better regulatory response from the government on online betting, one that provides cross-checks and limits on spending. We need far greater national education, awareness and health support for those in crisis. There need to be restrictions, or preferably a cigarette-style total ban, on all gambling advertising. But in the meantime, there is much that can and must be done within organisations to support employees:

• Restricting access to sports betting websites on company networks;
• Establishing clear policies around gambling and general cellphone usage during working hours;
• Providing education, critical support information and awareness around gambling and the impact on mental health, relationships and work;
• Providing financial and debt management skills, healthy lifestyle approaches and awareness around addiction; and
• Providing accessible and confidential support for those struggling with gambling addiction (wellness programmes, wellness champions and psychosocial support services).

Gambling’s effect on South African organisations extends beyond personal habits and cannot be ignored. It affects productivity, relationships, and mental health across teams. Addressing it is not just a matter of compliance; it’s a matter of collective responsibility. By focusing on what can be done within organisational contexts and ensuring the health and wellbeing of employees, organisations can play a critical role in supporting them to contribute and thrive.

Devar is an industrial psychologist working in the fields of leadership development, wellness and safety, women in mining, executive coaching, DEI and team building