South Africa has the highest rate of online gambling among 48 markets ranked by Visual Capitalist. Almost a third of internet users aged 16 and older, 32.3%, said they had visited an online gambling or betting website or app in the previous month. Norway came a close second at 31.2%, and Greece third at 25.8%.

In the United States, the figure is 10.2%, and in South Korea, at the bottom of the list, it is 2.7%.

Several other African markets rank high too, including Ghana at 21.5%, Nigeria at 18% and Kenya at 16%. But the gaps within regions are wide: South Africa's rate is more than four times Morocco's 7.3%. Among comparable markets, the United Kingdom sits at 19.6%, Brazil at 19%, Australia at 18% and Canada at 14.3%.

The ranking measures participation, the share of internet users who gambled online in a month, rather than how much they spent. The money is large as well. We reported earlier this month that South Africa's online gambling market is worth about R63 billion a year, that online now makes up more than 85% of betting revenue, and that National Treasury has proposed an extra 20% national tax on gambling operators' revenue.

Online sports betting through licensed provincial bookmakers is legal in South Africa, while online casino gambling remains illegal under national law.

Visual Capitalist published the ranking, noting that the 48 markets have very different gambling rules and market sizes. The Star in Kenya highlighted how high several African countries rank. Our own coverage of a SoftSwiss survey found that unemployed South Africans were the least likely to want tools to limit their gambling spend, even though they had the least room to lose.

The striking part is not that South Africans gamble; it is how normal betting online has become. When nearly a third of internet users visit a betting site or app every month, betting is a mainstream use of a smartphone, alongside banking and shopping. Easy apps, heavy advertising and legal sports betting all play a part.

For businesses, that is a real share of household spending going to betting rather than retail, savings or debt repayment, which matters for anyone selling to consumers or lending to them. For employers, it is a reason to take financial wellbeing seriously, because money stress shows up at work.

And for policymakers, it adds weight to the debate over the proposed national tax and to how online gambling is regulated and advertised.

If gambling is causing problems for you or someone you know, the National Responsible Gambling Programme runs a free, confidential helpline on 0800 006 008.

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