South Africans Believe Gambling is Morally Wrong – Survey

Half of South Africans believe that gambling is morally wrong.

This is according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, an American think tank that provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends, in the United States and the world.

Pew surveyed people in 25 countries last year on a number of issues, one of which was how people viewed gambling.

Fifty percent of those surveyed in South Africa said that gambling was “morally unacceptable”. Twenty percent said it was "morally acceptable" and 25% said it was not a moral issue.

Of the 25 countries surveyed it was most frowned upon in Indonesia, where 89% of those surveyed saying it was “morally unacceptable” and only 3% saying it was “morally acceptable”.

At the other end of the scale in Sweden 38% of those surveyed said gambling was “morally acceptable”.

The findings by Pew echo concerns previously raised by The Common Sense, which has highlighted the social risks associated with widespread gambling in South Africa. While the industry generates tax revenue and employment, the expansion of gambling opportunities has also raised questions about household financial strain and the normalisation of high-risk betting behaviour.