South African bill aims to regulate online gambling
The government has yet to enact the National Gambling Amendment Act of 2008.
South Africa.- A bill introduced by the opposition Democratic Alliance party aims to finally regulate online gambling in South Africa. Sponsored by shadow trade minister Dean Macpherson, the Remote Gambling Bill 2024 would license online gambling through provincial authorities rather than the central National Gambling Board (NGB).
The Bill proposes procedures for licensing, advertising rules, responsible gambling measures and compliance with South Africa’s anti-money laundering legislation, the Financial Intelligence Centre Act.
The Democratic Alliance accused the ruling African National Congress (ANC) of having failed to “provide adequate protection and regulation within the online gambling industry” in its long delay in enacting the National Gambling Amendment Act of 2008, which aimed to regulate online gambling. It said this had led to an increase in criminal activity and a loss of potential revenue.
The DA said: “After nearly 16 years, [the Act] has still not been brought into operation, meaning that a legal gap continues to exist in the industry. This is highly concerning given the massive strides and advances in online usage since then.”
It said that the NLB was ineffectual for regulating online gambling. It proposes that provincial authorities be granted the power to issue distinct online gambling licences for operators, manufacturers, suppliers, and maintenance providers.”
Proposed responsible gambling rules include an obligation for players to set limits for their spending. The bill also proposes the creation of a dispute resolution service for players.
A General Election in South Africa will be held on May 29.
See also: SOFTSWISS unveils South African igaming market overview
