Betting on Escape, Paying the Price: How Zimbabwe’s Youth Are Navigating Gambling and Drug Addiction

Betting on Escape, Paying the Price: How Zimbabwe’s Youth Are Navigating Gambling and Drug Addiction

By Staff Reporter

Every morning, before the betting shop opens, Tawanda (22) is already waiting outside. What began as casual wagers with friends has grown into a relentless cycle, one that drains his savings, strains family ties, and occupies his thoughts even at work. “At first it was just for fun,” he says. “Now it feels like I’m chasing something I can’t catch.”

Across Zimbabwe, young people like Tawanda (who did not want his full name disclosed for fear of stigma) are navigating similar struggles. From sports betting shops to street corners where drugs are traded discreetly, addiction is becoming an increasingly visible challenge, intertwined with unemployment, economic instability, and limited social safety nets. Sports betting has become widely accessible through mobile phones and online platforms. For many unemployed or underemployed youths, it represents more than entertainment; it represents hope.

Tariro, who could not provide her full name for fear of retribution, works at a popular betting shop in Harare. She has seen the change firsthand. “When the economy gets worse, business actually increases,” she says. “People are desperate. They believe the next game will fix everything.”

She recounts how some clients close their betting accounts in frustration, declaring they are done, only to return a few days later to reopen them. “There are people who spend days without bathing. Some use money meant for food or rent. Others borrow and lose it again,” she explains. “You can see the stress. They say, ‘Just one more win,” she says. 

Tariro says drug use, particularly cannabis, codeine-based cough syrups, and synthetic substances like mutoriro, is also increasing in high-density suburbs. Often, the two addictions overlap substances used to numb the anxiety of financial losses or prolonged unemployment.

Addiction is increasingly understood as a multifaceted phenomenon shaped by a combination of personal, social, and economic pressures, rather than a single cause. International and local organisations, such as UNICEF Zimbabwe, in a 2022 report, emphasise that effective interventions must address these broader structural conditions alongside individual behaviour, recognising addiction as embedded in social and economic contexts. Studies by Frontiers in Public Health, 2025, also demonstrate that socioeconomic disadvantage and peer influence increase the likelihood of risky behaviours.

For Knowledge Mupembe, Programs Manager at the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network, the conversation must move beyond punishment. “Drug use and addiction are public health concerns,” he explains. “Punishment has been there for years, but the problem persists.” His organisation advocates for drug policy reform, harm reduction, and prevention of HIV and other opportunistic infections among people who use and inject drugs. Rather than operating rehabilitation centres, the organisation pushes for systemic change, affordable treatment, trained personnel, and evidence-based interventions.

In 2020, ZCLDN contributed to drafting the Zimbabwe National Drug Master Plan and Treatment and Rehabilitation Guidelines for Drug Use Disorders, adopted by the government in 2021. These later evolved into the Zimbabwe Multisectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan (2024–2030), which outlines a coordinated response addressing supply, demand, treatment, harm reduction, and reintegration. “If everyone responsible plays their role, reducing supply, reducing demand, providing treatment and harm reduction, then we can see a healthier Zimbabwe,” Mupembe says.

Through partnerships with the National AIDS Council, the Ministry of Health, and organisations like Population Solutions for Health, ZCLDN has implemented outreach initiatives linking people who use and inject drugs to HIV testing, treatment, mental health services, and rehabilitation facilities. 

One such initiative, the BEST-PLAID outreach program, involves visiting drug hotspots, screening individuals, and referring them through formal pathways to service providers. “These initiatives have helped many people,” Mupembe notes. “The challenge is funding. Without sustained support, scaling up becomes difficult.”

Beyond public health risks, addiction carries social and economic consequences. “There is stigma and discrimination,” Mupembe explains. “Addiction is a chronic disease, but people are judged and isolated. That makes recovery harder.” He also highlights economic impacts: reduced employability, family breakdown, and increased healthcare burdens. Zimbabwe faces another challenge, limited national data. 

While anecdotal evidence and admissions to mental health institutions suggest rising addiction, comprehensive population estimates remain scarce. “There is a gap in data,” Mupembe says. “We need research to understand the scale, so responses can be better planned,” he says.

Both betting and substance addiction are symptoms of deeper structural pressures, such as unemployment, economic uncertainty, and limited recreational or economic opportunities for youth. Tariro believes regulation alone will not fix the problem. “You can restrict hours or raise awareness,” she says. “But if people are desperate, they will still come.” Mupembe agrees. “We must treat addiction as a health issue, invest in prevention, and address unemployment. Otherwise, the cycle continues,” he adds.

For Tawanda, recovery is measured in small victories: attending counselling, saving small amounts of money, choosing football over betting. “Recovery is not instant,” he says. “But every small step counts,” he adds.

Mupembe says, “Addiction is not just about stopping a behaviour. It is about restoring dignity, rebuilding lives, and strengthening communities. That is where real change begins,” he says.