{"id":27541,"date":"2026-06-25T09:43:55","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T12:43:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/?p=27541"},"modified":"2026-06-26T08:06:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T11:06:33","slug":"ngb-seeks-policy-review-of-online-gambling-regulation-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/ngb-seeks-policy-review-of-online-gambling-regulation-in-south-africa","title":{"rendered":"NGB seeks policy review of online gambling regulation in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Research cited during the committee meeting highlighted potentially harmful gambling behaviours among some consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
South Africa.- The National Gambling Board (NGB)<\/strong> has told Parliament that it is seeking policy-level discussions on several online gambling issues as the sector continues to expand across South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Appearing before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition on June 24, Lungile Dukwana<\/strong>, NGB CEO, said the regulator had engaged with the National Gambling Policy Council<\/strong> (NGPC)<\/strong> on challenges it has encountered in overseeing the online gambling market. Dukwana said the board had compiled a report for submission to the council, identifying areas requiring further deliberation, including the regulation of online gambling, the operation of betting exchanges and matters relating to historical loss tracing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the CEO, one of the board\u2019s main concerns is the flow of gambling revenue to offshore websites that operate outside South Africa\u2019s regulatory framework. These operators do not contribute gambling taxes or levies locally and are not subject to the same consumer protection requirements imposed on licensed operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The regulator has also identified online gambling advertising as an area requiring greater oversight. Dukwana told lawmakers that gambling promotions have become increasingly visible across multiple media channels, prompting discussions on stricter controls to reduce exposure, particularly among young people and vulnerable groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research cited during the committee meeting highlighted potentially harmful gambling behaviours among some consumers, including the use of borrowed funds to gamble and instances in which social grant money has reportedly been used for betting activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Measures under consideration include tighter enforcement of advertising standards, restrictions on when gambling advertisements can be displayed and action against misleading promotional content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The NGB said engagement with the policy council is intended to address regulatory gaps and consider possible policy responses. The NGPC, which brings together national and provincial gambling authorities, is expected to consider the report and its recommendations as part of broader discussions on the future regulation of online gambling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n