Africa¡¯s growing gambling use is sapping income that would ordinarily be flowing into groceries, entertainment and mobile phone bills.

The leaders of the continent¡¯s largest companies are now warning about the harm the trend is inflicting on household budgets.

¡°People are spending money in a black hole that could have spent on food,¡± said Pieter Engelbrecht, the chief executive officer of Africa¡¯s largest grocer Shoprite Holdings.