A survey of 1,000 South African adults commissioned by iGaming technology provider SOFTSWISS has found a gap between financial pressures and demand for player-protection tools, particularly among unemployed respondents.
Unemployed South Africans were the group most likely to say they would use a financial windfall to pay off debt, at 22.1%, but only 35.3% said they would want spending-limit tools. That was nearly eight percentage points below the overall figure of 43.2%.
The findings were released shortly after Africa Safer Gambling Week, held from Sept. 7 to 11 under the #PlaySafeAfrica banner. The campaign was organised by the African iGaming Alliance as the continent’s first coordinated player-protection campaign.
The survey also found differences in attitudes toward underage gambling safeguards. Current bettors were more likely than people who had never used an online betting service to support stronger protection against underage gambling, at 65.7% versus 54.5%.
“Operators usually hear from the customers who are already engaged enough to ask for something,” said Mariia Halaida, Head of Business Development in Africa at SOFTSWISS.
“This survey suggests that people who may have the greatest need for spending controls are not necessarily the ones most likely to ask for them. Responsible gambling tools such as deposit limits and self-exclusion are built into our platform to support regulatory requirements and safer gambling practices. The findings reinforce why we believe player protection requires a proactive approach, rather than relying solely on players themselves to request responsible gambling tools or safeguards.”
The full survey report, including methodology, margin of error and demographic breakdowns, will be published in the coming weeks.
SOFTSWISS is also hosting a LinkedIn Live panel on the financial landscape of entering African iGaming markets. The session, titled “Not a Cheap Bet: The Economics of Launch in the African iGaming Market”, is scheduled for 14:00 CET on Sept. 23 and will focus on South African operations as a real-world benchmark.
The panel will feature experts from the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator, Jabula Bets and Legends Gaming and Management Solutions, alongside SOFTSWISS specialists.