ALGA and NSFAS launch “Risk to Responsibility” campus campaign to curb problem gambling among South African students

The 2026 programme will run across universities and TVET colleges with on-campus activations, workshops, dialogues and outreach, as stakeholders warn that student allowances are increasingly being diverted to online betting and illegal platforms.

The African Lotteries & Gaming Association (ALGA) has partnered with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to roll out its 2026 “Risk to Responsibility” campaign aimed at problem gambling behaviour among tertiary students.

ALGA says the campaign will be implemented at universities and technical colleges, combining awareness, education and wellness-focused campus activations designed to encourage informed decision-making and reduce gambling-related harm.

The initiative sits within a wider push to protect student funding from being used for betting. In a recent statement, NSFAS and South Africa’s National Gambling Board (NGB) said growing exposure to gambling—particularly illegal online platforms—has contributed to the misuse of student allowances, and they cited drivers such as financial pressure, aggressive digital advertising and easy online access.

ALGA’s CEO Musa Mngadi has framed these collaborations as part of a broader strategy that includes working with the banking sector, state entities such as NSFAS and academic institutions to promote responsible gambling and corrective behaviour among students.

If the rollout delivers consistent on-campus engagement, it could become an important “front line” harm-prevention layer alongside enforcement against illegal operators, helping shift student behaviour before risky play becomes entrenched.