Limpopo illegal gambling operator sentenced to 12 months in prison

The provincial regulator has identified computer-based gambling outlets operating without authorisation as an enforcement challenge.

South Africa.- A Polokwane Magistrate’s Court has sentenced an illegal online gambling operator to 12 months’ direct imprisonment without the option of a fine for running an unauthorised gambling business in Limpopo. The accused was found guilty on Thursday, October 22, of operating an illegal online gambling shop in Polokwane’s central business district (CBD). The premises operated under the guise of an internet café while offering unauthorised online gambling services to members of the public.

The suspect was arrested on June 25 during a joint operation conducted by the Limpopo Gambling Board’s law enforcement unit and the South African Police Service (SAPS). Authorities confiscated 17 computers during the operation.

Further investigations, conducted in consultation with the Department of Home Affairs, established that the accused was a Zimbabwean national whose immigration documentation had expired.

In a statement issued after the ruling, the Limpopo Gambling Board (LGB) welcomed the conviction and custodial sentence, describing it as another milestone in the fight against illegal gambling in the province. The board said it would continue to identify and shut down illegal gambling operations and ensure that those involved are prosecuted.

The LGB has consistently warned that illegal gambling undermines licensed operators, deprives the province of potential revenue and diverts funds from legitimate economic activities. Its Strategic Plan for 2025–2030 identifies unauthorised online gambling outlets operating from computer-based premises as an enforcement challenge.

 Between 2020 and 2024, the Board’s law enforcement unit conducted 796 investigations and made 407 arrests. Joint operations with SAPS during the same period resulted in the seizure of 1,660 illegal gambling machines and 608 computers used for unauthorised online gambling.