South Africa to update its gambling policy
The South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry released its national gambling policy review with changes regarding the sector.
South Africa.- The South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued its national gambling policy review. The review proposes a number of amendments to revamp the gambling industry’s current regulations, to introduce new controls on unlicensed online gambling websites and to create a new regulatory body, among other changes.
The new policies address the restructuration of the National Gambling Board (NGB,) which will mutate into a strategic trading entity of the dti. To fill in the NGB’s duties, the National Gambling Regulator (NGR) will be created and this body will monitor and co-ordinate the industry, conduct research, develop and implement education and awareness, create and implement measures to combat illegal gambling, operate the Central Electronic Monitoring System (CEMS) and address problem gambling by providing treatment to gambling addicts. The funding for problem gambling treatments will come from an industry levy at a rate determined by the Minister of Trade and Industry.
The new policies are focused on penalties for those who participate in illegal gambling including online gambling. The measures include the empowerment of regulatory bodies and enabling them to block illegal gambling websites.
New forms of gambling are addressed in the review and they will be allowed. New controls will be implemented to improve provisions and to prevent any issues that may arise from this new forms of gambling.
The document was approved by the cabinet, signed by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies and published it in the National Gambling Policy 2016 for implementation.
