In an exclusive interview with iGaming AFRIKA, Tumelo Mokoena, the Assistant Manager of Advocacy and Communications at the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF), shares her profound commitment to responsible gambling. She discusses her strategic initiatives aimed at uniting operators, regulators, and advocacy groups to foster a proactive culture of player protection within South Africa’s gaming industry. Recognised as one of the most influential women in gaming in Africa in 2024, Tumelo’s insights offer a compelling look into the future of responsible gambling advocacy.
iGaming AFRIKA: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your passion for RG and how you got into the gaming industry?
Tumelo Mokoena: My name is Tumelo Mokoena, an Assistant Manager in the Advocacy and Communications department at the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF). I wear another hat as a dedicated academic with a passion for Responsible Gambling Messaging, currently enrolled for my final year towards a Masters Strategic Communications degree at the University of Johannesburg.
With a strong background in research and education, I combine my scholarly expertise with practical experience to develop and implement effective gambling harm-reduction strategies through strategic communications. My journey into the gambling industry began in 2022 with an internship at SARGF. Driven by my commitment to public health, behavioral change, and policy development and being an academic, I actively engaged in research on gambling behavior, addiction prevention, gambling advertising and messaging alongside its impact on human behavior and public education/ awareness, ensuring that my work at SARGF is informed by the latest evidence-based approaches. I am an aspiring Doctor of Strategic Communications aiming to develop target-specific gambling harm-reduction messages, particularly for educating the youth and vulnerable communities and I am a proud member of the Women in Gaming community.
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iGaming AFRIKA: Can you share an overview of your role as Assistant Manager for Advocacy and Communications at The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation?
Tumelo Mokoena: As Assistant Manager for Advocacy and Communications at the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF), I play a key role in shaping public awareness, stakeholder engagement, and responsible gambling messaging and advocacy. My duties include co-leading strategic communication efforts aimed at educating the public, managing and coordinating awareness programs, and social media, influencing policy, and promoting responsible gambling behaviors across South Africa.
iGaming AFRIKA: What are some of the factors that help you measure the impact of your advocacy efforts in promoting responsible gambling?
Tumelo Mokoena: Utilising various methodologies of facilitation assists in covering different learning styles including feedback methods that assist with measuring comprehension of advocacy efforts. On-site referrals and an increase in counselling calls received by SARGF are the biggest measures of our advocacy efforts and reach. The shift in industry conference conversations has been another impact measure, for example, my first presentation at the BiG Africa summit introduced conversations on Gambling Advertising and I have since noticed that it has become a conversation of interest.
iGaming AFRIKA: What do you see as the biggest challenges in advocating for responsible gambling in South Africa?
Tumelo Mokoena: The biggest challenges in advocating for responsible gambling in South Africa include unclear responsible gambling messaging resulting in comprehension challenges, misconceptions, cultural and socioeconomic factors driving risky gambling behavious, gaps in regulation and enforcement, and the stigma surrounding gambling addiction.
iGaming AFRIKA: Are there specific RG programmes or campaigns you have been involved in that are particularly proud of or excited about?
Tumelo Mokoena: I am particularly proud of the way I have reshaped our awareness programmes. Especially the Taking Risks Wisely School’s awareness programme which is aimed at educating learners about the dangers of underage gambling, the programme has grown in terms of reach and targets more schools yearly.
iGaming AFRIKA: Being that you were recognised as one of the most influential Women in Gaming in Africa in 2024, how has this recognition impacted your work and career?
Tumelo Mokoena: Being recognised as one of the most influential Women in Gaming Africa 2024 was one of my biggest highlights of the year. Not only has it contributed to my professional growth, but it has also elevated my advocacy efforts, industry credibility, and professional growth. It has provided a greater platform to champion responsible gambling, influence policy discussions, and be mentored by women in the industry.
This recognition has also opened new stakeholder engagement opportunities and strengthened my commitment to ensuring ethical and responsible gambling practices across South Africa. In essence, my voice has been amplified in the industry and academically.
iGaming AFRIKA: How do you see the evolving role of regulators in ensuring proper responsible gaming measures and standards are in place in the African gaming sector?
Tumelo Mokoena: For South Africa particularly, I would argue that the role of regulators has expanded due to the advancement of technology and the expansion of gambling offerings. However, responsible gambling policies and regulatory frameworks have not evolved, which provides us with room for improvement. For example, enforcement of Advertising NGA prescriptions and the centralised national self-exclusion database.
iGaming AFRIKA: What changes or improvements would you like to see in gambling regulations to better protect consumers?
Tumelo Mokoena: Acknowledgement and consideration of Public Health and Behavioural Science in Responsible Gambling Policies and Framework. Pro-activeness in player protection both in games and communication strategies disseminated.
iGaming AFRIKA: How do you collaborate with stakeholders, majorly operators, to influence policy and ensure ethical practices in the industry?
Tumelo Mokoena: I collaborate with operators and stakeholders through workshops to help them understand problem gambling in detail, responsible gambling programmes, training, and public awareness initiatives. This includes working with regulators to influence ethical policies, helping operators implement responsible gambling measures, conducting staff training, and leading joint awareness campaigns. By fostering engagement and accountability, I ensure that operators adopt ethical and player-focused gambling practices to create a safer industry.
iGaming AFRIKA: What role do research and data analytics play in shaping your advocacy strategies?
Tumelo Mokoena: Research and data analytics shape my advocacy strategies by providing evidence-based insights into gambling behaviour, measuring campaign effectiveness, and enhancing player protection. Data helps identify high-risk groups, assess responsible gambling initiatives, and support industry standards, ensuring that advocacy efforts are targeted, comprehensive, measurable, and impactful.
iGaming AFRIKA: How has technology impacted your organization’s responsible gambling initiatives positively?
Tumelo Mokoena: Technology has assisted the Foundation with tools for patient case management and expanding awareness reach. It has enhanced SARGF’s responsible gambling initiatives by enabling early detection of problem gambling, digital awareness campaigns, and accessible support services. AI-driven analytics, self-exclusion, online education, and a 24/7 helpline and other media channels have strengthened player engagement, protection and outreach, ensuring a more effective and responsive responsible gambling framework. We also have Digital Referral tools as well as self-screening tools to assist players in testing their gambling habits.
iGaming AFRIKA: What are your thoughts on the intersection of gaming, mental health, and addiction management and how bad is the irresponsible gambling crisis in South Africa?
Tumelo Mokoena: The intersection of gaming, mental health, and addiction management is a critical issue, particularly in the context of irresponsible gambling. Gambling addiction can have severe mental health consequences, including anxiety, depression, and family dysfunction, resulting in children’s trauma. It affects one’s social, physical and financial aspects of life, which often go unnoticed until they lead to significant harm.
This is why it’s essential to view gambling addiction as part of the broader public health conversation and treat it with the same urgency as other behavioral addictions, such as substance abuse. Studies show a growing number of individuals affected by problem gambling, but knowledge and education on mental health support and addiction services directly to punters on gambling platforms remain limited. While the SARGF provides valuable support, there is still a gap in resources dedicated to addiction prevention and warning messages for gamblers.
Read the full interview in our digital magazine: