CASA Warns Against Gambling With Borrowed Money
The consumer credit watchdog urges South Africans to prioritise essential expenses as online gambling activity rises sharply.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Gambling
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The Credit Association of South Africa (CASA) has warned consumers against gambling with borrowed money or essential household funds. The warning follows Solidarity Research Institute research indicating online gambling activity in South Africa increased by 390% between 2021 and 2025.
Why it matters
Many South African households are already struggling with rising living costs, debt repayments and financial uncertainty, and missed repayments can be reported to credit bureaus. Repeatedly chasing losses may lead to escalating debt, making the risk to household finances particularly acute.
The figures come from Solidarity Research Institute research measuring online gambling activity across South Africa from 2021 to 2025. The 390% rise is reported as growth over that period, but the extraction does not state the baseline volume or the scale of the affected population.
The players
Credit Association of South Africa (CASA)
CASA is the industry body representing credit providers in South Africa and promotes responsible lending and financial inclusion.
Solidarity Research Institute
The Solidarity Research Institute is a South African research body whose work on online gambling activity informed the warning.
The details
CASA says online gambling growth has been driven partly by easy access through mobile phones and widespread advertising of gambling platforms. The association is encouraging consumers to prioritise essential expenses and manage existing debt responsibly, and advocates responsible lending and financial inclusion within the credit industry.
Timeline
Between 2021 and 2025: online gambling activity in South Africa increased by 390%.
8 November 2026: CASA issued its warning against gambling with borrowed funds.
Health Landscape
The 390% rise in online gambling activity documented by the Solidarity Research Institute between 2021 and 2025 marks a sharp expansion of mobile-accessed betting in South Africa. CASA's warning positions consumer credit stress as a downstream consequence of that trend, rather than as an isolated lending problem.
Missed loan repayments, unpaid accounts and defaults may be reported to credit bureaus, affecting future credit access. Applying for new credit can trigger enquiries that temporarily weigh on a consumer's credit profile, even though gambling itself does not directly set a credit score.
The takeaway
Prioritising essential expenses and clearing existing debt before using any borrowed money for betting can protect a household's credit standing. Chasing losses with borrowed funds is the pattern CASA flags as most likely to escalate debt.
Further reading
For more on how betting platforms are reshaping household spending, see the Gambling section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Social TV.
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