Breaking Down the Numbers – Beyond SA’s R1.5 Trillion Gambling Boom

Loading player...
GUEST: Jaco van Jaarsveldt – Head of Commercial Strategy and Innovation at Experian

South Africans spent a staggering R1.5 trillion on gambling last year an amount equal to 65% of the country’s total outstanding debt. But behind that headline lies a deeper question: who is gambling, and why?

In this conversation, Gugulethu Mfuphi unpacks the data with Experian’s Head of Commercial Strategy and Innovation, Jaco van Jaarsveldt, to find out whether the surge in betting is entertainment or a symptom of financial distress. Drawing from Experian’s partnership with Vault22, the discussion explores what real-time transactional insights reveal about consumer behaviour, credit health, and financial inclusion.

From Millennials driving the online betting wave, to young professionals spending nearly half their income on gambling, the numbers tell a powerful story about money, mindset and the pressures facing South African households.
30 Oct 2025 3PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Funding the SMME Hustle: Traditional Meets Alternative Finance

Old Mutual’s Ndumiso Zulu and Lula’s Clinton Thomas unpack the real funding landscape for South African SMEs — from cash‑flow pressure to investment readiness, construction‑sector bottlenecks, and why only 6% of SMEs access formal finance. They explore how blended support, alternative lending models, and faster payment cycles can unlock the…
22 Jun 4PM 26 min

SMME Playbook: Founder’s Mindset with Lesetja Dikgale

Michanic founder Lesetja Dikgale shares how a simple moment of frustration with a delayed car repair sparked a national mobile‑mechanic platform. He unpacks the early mistakes, the operational rebuild, the financial model overhaul, and how the Impact Finance Network helped him become investor‑ready. A masterclass in starting lean, scaling smart,…
22 Jun 4PM 16 min

SANEDI on Key AEF Takeaways critical for South Africa's Energy Future

Prof. Sampson Mamphweli, the Head of the Energy Secretariat at the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), joins us for his view on South Africa's future. He unpacks policy and project-based initiatives that came to the fore on the agenda at this week's Africa Energy Forum.
18 Jun 3PM 11 min

Africa’s Power Market Is Learning to Share: AEF 2026 Highlights

From Uganda’s first independent transmission project to South Africa’s R440bn grid expansion plan, AEF 2026 showcased a continent shifting toward private‑sector participation and distributed energy. Absa CIB's Nikhil Kasiram breaks down the biggest trends shaping Africa’s power future.
18 Jun 3PM 12 min

Pivot Point: BrightRock at 15 and CEO Stevens on Leading the Next Chapter

BrightRock celebrates 15 years of disrupting the life insurance industry with its needs‑matched model. CEO Suzanne Stevens reflects on her leadership journey, the company’s growth to over 12% market share, and the future of life insurance in a rapidly changing consumer landscape.
18 Jun 3PM 18 min