Katlego Sekhu

The death of Wati, a 16-year-old boy who died by suicide following a gambling addiction, is a tragic reminder of the dangers of online gambling. Wati had reportedly been gambling every day for at least a year, and in the days leading up to his death, his performance at school had dropped and he was hounded for his outstanding debts.
Online gambling companies have been accused of exploring African markets, and it is clear that more needs to be done to protect young people from the dangers of this industry. Jan Vermeulen, Editor in Chief of My BroadBand, calls for stricter regulations around online gambling in South Africa.
Online gambling companies are able to easily target young people with their marketing, and they often use predatory tactics to lure them into gambling.
Vermeulen says there should be more rules in place to block those who are under 18s from gambling. “It should probably be higher than that for participating in games like this.” He stresses that the effects are “long-lasting.”
What is allowed in South Africa is online sports betting, however it is “heavily regulated.”
“Games you’d normally find in a casino are not allowed as our government refused to issue licenses to online gambling corporations,” adds Vermeulen.
For families who have victims of underage online gambling, Vermeulen suggests taking legal recourse. “You can try and lay charges if you’ve got proof they provided services to your loved ones. The real solution here is to regulate online gambling in South Africa. To ensure that it is well regulated,” he advises.
Listen to the discussion on 959 Breakfast.
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