South Africa does not have a gambling problem

A story on Moneyweb related to local gambling - 'SA, we have a (gambling) problem' - caught my eye this morning.

A year after the piece I wrote on Daily Maverick on the topic, the ongoing realisation is that the prolific marketing efforts of gambling brands has now sparked a betting phenomenon in the country, which is becoming increasingly concerning.

But, headlines proclaiming that South Africans have a gambling problem are misleading.

South Africa does not have a gambling problem. The popularity of gambling is merely a symptom of a far deeper issue.

The issue is that for many, gambling is their only hope of a better life.

And let's be very honest here; calling it 'their only hope' is not some hyperbole for poetic emphasis. For many there is simply no other way to attempt to break free from the treachery of daily life; and actually taking a punt with Hollywood Bets or Betway or the local tote is in reality the only sane thing to do in response.

Gambling at least provides a glimmer of hope for the hopeless. It might be a one-in-a-million shot, but those are far better odds than any other alternative.

South Africa does not have a gambling problem, it has a 'lack of hope' problem.

In our feeling of discomfort we might immediately react by thinking that banning gambling is the answer, but that simply shifts the problem somewhere else.

What we really need to address are the conditions that make gambling appear to be the only hope that's left.

So let's allow Eben Etzebeth's broad smiling face on every second billboard to be a constant reminder that as a society, we still have a lot of work to do to make everyone feel like they have access to a better tomorrow.