: Various countries and states have established telephone counselling lines for people with pathological or
problem gambling. Data from such services may contribute to describing systematically the nature of gambling problems
in a particular area. To date, however, few data have been published on such a telephone counselling line in a
low or middle income country. Method: Data on calls to the telephone counselling line of the National Responsible
Gambling Foundation of South Africa were captured over a 6-month period. Such data include socio-demographic
variables, the primary reason for calling, the source of the referral, preferred method of gambling, impairment as a
consequence of gambling, and history of treatment for psychiatric disorders, comorbid alcohol abuse and illicit drug
use. Results: Calls were received from a broad range of people; the mean age of callers was 37 years, the majority
were male (62%) and many were married (45%). Primary reasons for calling included the feeling of being unable to
stop gambling without the help of a professional (41%), financial concerns (32%), legal problems (13%), pressure
from family (10%), and suicidal thoughts (2%). The majority of callers contacted the counselling line after having
heard about it by word of mouth (70%). The most common forms of gambling were slot machines (51%) and casino
games (21%). Fourteen percent of callers reported having received help for other psychiatric disorders, 11% reported
alcohol use disorders and 6% illicit drug use. Conclusion: These data from South Africa are consistent with prior research
indicating that pathological and problem gambling are seen in a range of socio-demographic groups, and that
such behaviour is associated with significant morbidity and comorbidity. More work is needed locally to inform
younger gamblers, gamblers using the informal gambling sector, and unemployed gamblers of the existing telephone
counselling lines.