ALMOST 72% of people who use different gambling methods and programs in this country see themselves as being able to control their gambling problem.
However, a recent study by Yazi, a research program on different situations using WhatsApp, has revealed the shocking news of the situation that many people seem to be facing when they fall into the problem of excessive gambling.
This study was conducted by the Yazi program on WhatsApp, and collected the information used by 2,569 people, answering some of the questions they were asked about gambling.
Yazi has done this research based on the topic it calls the Self-Image Dilemma, where it gathers information that proves that many people who gamble do not have a problem with the way they do it, and it seems that they are deeply involved in it.
This study is not the first on the problem of gambling, as South African Gambling Impact also released the presentation of its study in May – which revealed that about 1 028 South Africans who gambled in that month alone spent too much money to the point of ruin according to the following conditions;
- 57% of them spent the money they should have spent on groceries, airtime, rides, rent and paying bills.
- 29% borrowed money for gambling.
- 59% admitted to themselves that they end up betting several times a day because of addiction.
- 28% believe that gambling companies offer tools and techniques to control excessive gambling.
- 61% of excessive gamblers are women, which contradicts the belief that it is men who are deeply involved in this problem.
- 26% spent more than 10% of their monthly income on gambling.
- 5% self-reported that they have tried many times to stop gambling but failed.
The chief executive officer of Yazi, Mr. Tim Treagus said: “The truth about this situation is not only how much gambling is a problem but it is a clear demonstration that if people are given the opportunity to get involved with this, we will get to the heart of the problem. And now it is clear that there is a great need to understand how people deal with financial problems and the risks they put themselves in as a result.”
The head of Coca-Cola South Africa’s marketing unit, Mr. Khaya Dlanga, who is also a writer who has come out publicly that he lost his brother who committed suicide due to an uncontrollable gambling problem, said that a lot needs to be done about this problem.
“What worries me the most is not that people only gamble but that many of them continue to gamble when they are financially stressed. This leads them to spend money that they should have used for other things but they continue to stress themselves to the point that they borrow more money and bet and run their lives,” said Dlanga.