For over half of South African workers, expanded access to sports betting and online gambling is increasingly being seen as a way to make ends meet. The trend is most pronounced among lower-income earners, particularly those making between 8,000 and 15,000 rand per month ($480 to $900). It reflects the growing financial strain facing many South Africans as the economy continues to struggle: GDP growth has stagnated in recent years, unemployment remains near the highest in the world, and the share of people taking out personal loans has increased by 10% since 2025.
Hard Numbers
South Africans’ risky side hustle
Will Fitzpatrick
By Will FitzpatrickJuly 30, 2026
Will Fitzpatrick
Will Fitzpatrick is a multimedia reporter and producer at GZERO, where he does a little bit of everything: writing for the GZERO Daily, creating social videos, producing GZERO World, and whatever else the news cycle throws his way.
Before GZERO, Will worked in documentary film on both the production and post-production sides, including on Everest: The Other Side and on The First Wave. He has also directed and produced two short documentaries of his own. Outside the film world, Will has worked as a freelance journalist, with reporting that has taken him from the dhow workshops of Oman to the mountains of Patagonia, with plenty of stops in between. He’s especially interested in the niche, hard-to-reach, and underreported stories that reveal something bigger about how the world works.
Will studied economics and world politics at Hamilton College and received his Master’s in journalism from New York University. When he's not reporting, you can likely find Will tending to his oyster farm, on a bike, or somewhere outdoors.
