Ban gambling adverts + sponsorships now!

People in South Africa now spend more on gambling than they do on any other recreational activities [6]. Many people gamble because their salaries are not enough [7]. It is concerning that such a high percentage of people are into gambling. This is an urgent matter, and the government must start moving quickly to curb this crisis.  

Gambling companies have invaded our communities; they sponsor community runs, do charity work, aggressively put their logos in schools, and indirectly advertise to children [8]. The current National Gambling Act states that gambling companies are not allowed to place advertisements in media directed to children [9]. Yet, gambling companies are buying kids' soccer uniforms with their logos, turning our children into walking billboards. The more visible the thing, the more attention it attracts, and this is why we find ourselves in this situation as a nation.

These companies should stop involving themselves in our cultural, educational, and sporting events. Their sponsorship is an advertisement disguised as social development. They are attempting to create good product imagery and consequently rope people into gambling. We have to remember that the charity work and sponsorships that gambling companies do in our communities are funded by extracting money from the very same communities. In the end, gambling companies are the real winners. 

Gambling, like smoking, harms our society. South Africa needs to ban gambling ads and sponsorships, just like we did with tobacco. While sports, arts and culture events often need sponsors, there are plenty of sponsors out there, and evidence suggests banning sponsorship does not harm sport [10]. Cricket in South Africa was heavily sponsored by the tobacco industry in the past, but they voluntarily ended the sponsorship out of principle. Protecting our communities from harm should always be the priority. If we want to reduce gambling, it makes sense to start by reducing the temptation to gamble [11].

South Africa also needs to join the global call to restrict gambling advertisements. Countries like Kenya have started implementing tighter gambling regulations to protect their young people from gambling addiction [12].

 

We need to come together to combat this gambling crisis we find ourselves in. We are already facing so many issues as a nation, and we cannot afford to add another one. We call for the government to ban gambling advertisements and stop the infiltration of betting sponsorships into our Sports, Arts and Culture, as well as our education.



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