When Betting Is All You Have Left: Inside South Africa’s R1.5 Trillion Gambling Industry

South Africa’s gambling industry just hit R1.5 trillion and it’s not just for fun anymore. Behind the flashing lights are stories of poverty, desperation, and survival. In today’s episode of The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi talks to Wendy Knowler, Consumer Journalist at News24, about how gambling has quietly become one of the country’s biggest social and economic fault lines.

This episode is brought to you by global investment manager Ninety One: 
https://ninetyone.com/en/south-africa 

Produced by Emilie Gambade, Joel Seboa & Bernard Kotze 
Original Theme Music & Design by Bernard Kotze 

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00:42 Personal Stance on Gambling 
01:20 Gambling in South Africa: A Growing Crisis 
01:59 Shocking Statistics and Research 
02:45 Interview with Wendy Nola: Consumer Insights 
03:38 The Impact of Advertising on Gambling 
05:45 The Rise of Online Gambling 
06:13 Personal Stories of Gambling Addiction 
06:50 Economic Desperation and Gambling 
10:28 Regulatory Environment and Accountability 
11:15 Behavioral Engineering and Advertising 
12:28 The Role of Banks and Self-Imposed Blocks 
14:26 The Need for Legislative Action 
25:04 Addressing the Gambling Crisis

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