Online Betting in South Africa: What the Data Shows

South Africa’s gambling sector has always been dominated by casinos and physical betting shops. That picture is changing fast. Data published by the National Gambling Board (NGB) for the financial year ending 31 March 2025 shows the licensed betting segment has become the single biggest driver of gambling revenue in the country, and online channels are the engine behind it.

Here is what the numbers say, and what they mean for anyone placing bets in South Africa today.

The Industry at a Glance

Total gross gambling revenue (GGR) across all licensed modes reached R74.5 billion in FY2024/25, up 25.6% from R59.3 billion the previous year. To put that in context, the industry has more than doubled in size since FY2021/22, when total GGR sat at R34.4 billion.

GGR is the money operators retain after paying out winnings. It is the clearest measure of how much South Africans are wagering, and how much of that stays with licensed operators.

Of that R74.5 billion, betting on horse racing and sport accounted for R52 billion, or 69.8% of total GGR. Casinos, which historically dominated the sector, contributed 22.3%. Limited payout machines (LPMs) added 5.6%, and bingo made up the remaining 2.3%.

The shift in market share has been dramatic. In FY2010/11, casinos held an 81.9% share of total GGR. By FY2024/25 that had dropped to 22.3%, while betting’s share climbed from 11.7% to 69.9% over the same period.

The tables below show total gambling revenue by mode and how market share has shifted over time in South Africa.

Online Betting in South Africa Is Driving the Growth

The NGB breaks betting GGR into online and retail channels for selected provinces. When you look at that disaggregated data, the scale of the online shift becomes clear.

Betting accounts for 69.8% of total industry GGR, with online channels contributing the majority of that figure. Where the NGB does report online versus retail separately, covering the Western Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape, reported online betting GGR across those provinces reached R44.5 billion. Retail betting, meaning physical shops and on-course wagering, contributed R7.5 billion in the same reporting provinces.

It is worth noting that the NGB does not yet fully disaggregate online and retail GGR across all nine provinces, so the true scale of digital wagering nationally is likely higher than what the current data captures.

The table below highlights the reported split between online and retail betting revenue in provinces where this data is available.

Sports Betting vs Horse Racing

Within the betting segment, sports betting has completely overshadowed horse racing. In FY2024/25, bookmaker sports betting generated R47.9 billion in GGR. Horse racing through bookmakers contributed R3.5 billion, while totalisator sports betting added R230 million and horse racing via totalisators R337 million.

The trend going back to FY2020/21 is consistent and steep. Bookmaker sports betting GGR has grown from R8.2 billion in FY2020/21 to R47.9 billion in FY2024/25, a more than fivefold increase in four years. Horse racing has grown more modestly, from R1.7 billion to R3.5 billion over the same period.

Quarter three of FY2024/25 (October to December 2024) was the strongest quarter for sports betting GGR at R13.5 billion, pointing to the impact of peak sporting calendars, particularly local and international football and rugby fixtures, on wagering volumes.

The table below provides the breakdown of betting revenue between sports and horse racing across different channels and financial years.

Which Provinces Are Leading

Mpumalanga generated R22.2 billion in total GGR in FY2024/25, accounting for 29.9% of national GGR. The Western Cape followed at R23.1 billion, representing 31% of national GGR. Together these two provinces account for more than 60% of total gambling revenue.

The Mpumalanga and Western Cape dominance is directly linked to betting activity. Both provinces are home to licensed operators and their GGR reflects the volume of bets placed across the country, not just within those provincial borders. This is an important distinction: operators are licensed in a specific province but accept bets from customers nationwide.

Gauteng, despite being the most populous province, contributed R13.5 billion or 18.1% of national GGR. Its betting GGR was R4.7 billion, reflecting that many Gauteng bettors use operators licensed in other provinces.

The data below shows total gambling revenue by province, highlighting where betting activity is concentrated across South Africa.

What This Means for South African Bettors

For anyone placing bets online in South Africa, these statistics confirm a few things worth knowing.

First, the operators you are betting with are regulated. All GGR figures captured by the NGB come from licensed bookmakers and totalisators operating under provincial gambling licences issued in terms of the National Gambling Act 7 of 2004. Unlicensed offshore platforms do not appear in these numbers. If your operator is not in the NGB data, it is not licensed to operate in South Africa.

Second, the market is competitive and growing. More licensed operators means more promotional offers, better odds, and improved platforms as providers compete for customers. The R47.9 billion sports betting GGR figure tells you this is a mature, active market, not a fringe activity.

Third, return to player (RTP) rates for licensed betting operators averaged 92% nationally in FY2024/25. That means for every R100 wagered across all licensed betting channels, R92 was returned to players in winnings on average. RTP varies by operator and bet type, but regulated minimums apply to licensed providers.

The table below outlines the average return to player across each gambling mode.

The Bigger Picture

South Africa’s licensed betting sector has grown faster than almost any comparable market over the past four years. The structural reasons are straightforward: smartphone penetration, accessible payment infrastructure, and a growing appetite for sports wagering, particularly football. The regulatory framework, while still evolving in how it handles online specifically, has provided enough certainty for major operators to invest in local licensing.

What the current data makes clear is that betting in South Africa is no longer a growth story. It is the story.

The table below shows how tax and levy contributions are distributed across each gambling mode in South Africa.

All statistics sourced from the National Gambling Board’s National Gambling Statistics FY2024/25, covering the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. Data is based on audited figures submitted by all nine Provincial Licensing Authorities. If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, free and confidential support is available through the National Responsible Gambling Programme at responsiblegambling.org.za. Winners know when to stop.