Fewer South Africans are gambling, according to a report from the country's National Gambling Board, after 10 years of the reformed legislation in the country, which has added LPMs (limited payout machines) in the street market as well as reforming the casino business.
The report said that fewer people were involved in gambling than in the last two surveys (2002 and 2005). "This may point to a more stable gambling community regarding their involvement in gambling as a regular entertainment event. Novelty and irregular gamblers will always be present, but they seem to be on the decline after almost a decade of legalised gambling in South Africa."
The study showed that the frequency of casino gambling by South African adults was 6.3 per cent in 2009, well down on the 19.3 per cent of 2003 and 7.1 per cent down on 2005. Players spent 1.34 per cent of their household expenditure on gambling, down from 1.7 per cent in 2005 but up slightly on the 1.3 per cent in 2002.
The study found that most gambling took place in casinos, 76.1 per cent of gambling expenditure (outside of lotteries). Horse racing and sports betting was the second highest category, followed by LPMs at only 3.7 per cent. The average gambler was between 26 and 45 years old (49 per cent), employed full- or part-time (49.7 per cent). Most gamblers were female (63.7 per cent).
