Breaking the silence with an online support group for gambling addiction

The Star

21-05-2025

As gambling addiction tightens its grip on individuals and families across South Africa, the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation ( SARGF) is responding with a pioneering digital support programme aimed at breaking the cycle of isolation and stigma.
In its first year, the National Responsible Gambling Programme's ( NRGP) online support group has helped more than 400 people find their footing on the road to recovery - offering a rare sense of community in a space often marked by secrecy and shame.
This initiative draws on the Ubuntu philosophy – 'I am because we are' – to dismantle barriers of isolation and foster a sustainable ecosystem of peer-driven recovery.
As a condition increasingly recognised as a mental health disorder, it is detailed that problem gambling often leads individuals into debilitating cycles of shame, grief, and isolation, adversely affecting not just themselves but their families and communities.
The foundation shares with Saturday Star that its approach is designed to dismantle these barriers, creating a safe, judgement-free space for individuals to openly share their struggles and collaboratively navigate the difficult path to recovery.
Sibongile Simelane-Quntana, Executive Director of SARGF, emphasises the role of this support group, stating, 'Our support group is more than a resource; it's a lifeline. By embracing Ubuntu, we remind participants that healing thrives in community. The courage to say, 'I need help,' is met with immediate support from peers who truly understand, proving that solidarity can achieve what therapy alone often cannot.'
To make it easier for people to get help no matter where they are, the group uses WhatsApp to chat in real time and holds online meetings every Saturday on Microsoft Teams .
These virtual sessions are designed to build an interconnected community, characterised by shared stories, effective coping strategies, and accountability checks.
Participants laud the platform's 24/7 availability as critical in resisting urges:
'At 2 am, when guilt and anxiety tighten their grip, there's always someone to pull me back from the edge. Knowing I'm not alone makes the impossible feel possible,' says Simelane-Quntana.
The NRGP model also aligns with legally mandated recovery pathways outlined in South Africa's National Gambling Act of 2004.
This includes measures such as voluntary self-exclusion, enabling individuals to block their gambling access for a minimum of six months while committing to counselling; in the financial year 2024/2025, 4 166 referrals were managed, with 902 specifically for self-exclusions. Another approach, third-party exclusion, allows family members or dependants to petition the courts for gambling restrictions on individuals struggling with addiction.
While some people were initially hesitant to join due to stigma and anxiety, the group's anonymous nature has helped more individuals feel safe enough to reach out. Many members have since shared positive progress, staying away from gambling for six months or more as they focus on healing relationships and improving their finances.
The SARGF says it plans to broaden access through regional support hubs and strategic partnerships with local leaders.
'Relapse prevention requires innovation. Our vision is a nationwide web of support rooted in shared humanity where every individual can reclaim their future.' With an unwavering commitment to empowering lives, the SARGF is redefining the landscape of recovery, proving that together, healing and support can illuminate even the darkest of paths.'
Saturday Star
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