Final call to submit public comments on South Africa’s proposed 20% online gambling tax
South Africans and industry stakeholders have until February 27 to weigh in on the draft national levy, which proposes a 20 per cent tax on gross online gambling revenue.
South Africa.- South Africa has only days remaining to submit public comments to National Treasury on the draft 20 per cent national online gambling tax, with submissions closing on February 27. The proposal has already drawn strong reactions from across the gambling sector.
The draft measure would impose a 20 per cent levy on gross gambling revenue (GGR) generated by online betting and interactive gambling operators. The national levy would apply in addition to existing provincial gambling taxes, which vary by jurisdiction and operator category – a layered structure that has become a focal point of industry criticism.
Industry figures say engagement with the National Gambling Board (NGB), the national authority responsible for regulating gambling and advising Treasury on policy, has been insufficient ahead of a policy shift that could materially alter the country’s online betting landscape.
Internationally recognised gambling attorney Garron Whitesman, currently finalising his public submission, said: “I don’t think that there has been appropriate engagement with the industry and industry representative bodies on the matter. I think that the tax and other industry-related matters could most certainly be dealt with far better by national government– both the NGB and National Treasury.”
Final call: gambling tax
The proposal is set out in the Draft National Online Gambling Tax Discussion Paper, first published on November 25, 2025. The original deadline for public submissions was January 30, 2026 but was later extended to February 27, 2026 following stakeholder requests for additional time.
According to Treasury, the proposed national tax is intended to respond to the rapid growth of online and interactive gambling, introduce a more consistent national taxation framework and address regulatory gaps and associated social risks.
Critics, including the Free Market Foundation, have warned that increasing the effective tax burden on licensed operators could drive players towards unregulated offshore platforms, potentially undermining compliance and weakening the regulated market.
With the consultation deadline now imminent, operators, industry bodies and members of the public have a final opportunity to influence a policy that could significantly reshape South Africa’s online gambling framework. Treasury has indicated that submissions received by the closing date will inform the next phase of policy consideration before any formal legislative steps are taken.
