NGB Study Shows South
Africans are Gambling Less
 November
16 - According to the results of a
detailed study
that
was conducted this year
on behalf of the National Gambling Board
(NGB),
less South Africans than ever before are gambling
since the activity was legalised ten
years ago.
The study revealed
a 19.3 percent drop in the number of South
Africans who gambled in 2002
and a 7.1 percent drop in those who gambled in 2005. While this
is
good news for
opponents of gambling, no doubt the nation's
land casinos will
be less than thrilled.
Said NGB acting CEO, Thebi Moja,
'This study indicates a more
stable gambling community in terms of its interest in gambling
as a regular form of entertainment.
Novelty and irregular
gamblers will always be present, but they seem to be
declining
after a decade of legalised gambling.'
The study, which was
conducted by Professor André Ligthelm of
the University of South Africa's bureau of market research,
was
designed to gauge the socio-economic and gambling behaviour of
South Africans,
identify trends in gambling conduct and advise
on gambling policy.
It revealed that
South Africans spent 1.34 percent of their
household expenditure on gambling, down from 1.7 percent in
2005, and that most gambling took place in casinos (76.1
percent),
followed by horse and sports betting (9 percent) and
then limited payout machines (3.7 percent).
According to the
NGB study, most
South African gamblers are aged
between 26 and 45, have some form of secondary education,
and are fully or at least part-time employed. Interestingly,
most gamblers were revealed to be women
(63.7 percent) and
the
majority are black
(72.8 percent).
|
|
|
