South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled that bookmakers in Gauteng may not offer fixed-odds bets on live roulette, finding that roulette is a casino game rather than a “sporting event” under provincial law. The court upheld the Casino Association of South Africa’s (CASA) challenge and set aside approvals that had allowed Supabets and affiliates to take bets on streamed roulette tables.
Why it matters
The judgment settles a years-long fight between casino operators and bookmakers over whether sportsbooks can piggyback on live-streamed roulette feeds and offer markets to bettors. The court’s answer is clear: no, unless the operator holds a casino licence issued in Gauteng. The ruling could reshape product offerings in South Africa’s largest betting market and prompt enforcement against roulette-style products on sportsbook sites.
What the court decided
Writing for a unanimous bench, Judge of Appeal Nambitha Dambuza held that Gauteng’s statute limits a bookmaker’s licence to taking fixed-odds bets on “sporting events,” and roulette does not qualify. “Roulette is a casino game and should be played in a casino,” the court said, adding that provincial law does not permit bookmakers to offer bets on roulette outcomes. The court declared Supabets’ past conduct unlawful, reviewed and set aside the Gauteng Gambling Board’s 2018 determination, and ordered costs against the losing parties.
“A bookmaker’s licence … authorise[s] the accepting … of fixed-odds bets on sporting events. Roulette is not a sporting event.” — Supreme Court of Appeal judgment.
The legal hinge
The appellants argued that South Africa’s National Gambling Act lets bookmakers accept bets on “any contingency,” so provincial law could not narrow that to sport. The SCA disagreed, finding no conflict between national and provincial laws and confirming provinces may set tighter licensing scopes. The court read section 4 of the national law as a description of South African betting sites, not a licence to expand contingencies beyond what provinces authorise.
Industry reaction and context
CASA — whose members include major casino groups — has long argued that sportsbook roulette erodes the casino licence regime. Media coverage has framed the ruling as a setback for Supabets’ attempt to classify roulette as sport. Regulators have also recently warned that online casino games in South Africa remain unlawful outside provincial casino regimes, underscoring the compliance risks for sportsbooks offering roulette-style products.
What happens next
- Operators: Bookmakers in Gauteng must remove roulette-outcome markets unless they hold a casino licence.
- Regulators: The Gauteng Gambling Board is likely to review approvals and supervise takedowns in line with the judgment.
- National picture: The decision strengthens the provincial approach while Parliament revisits gambling reform; any operator seeking roulette will need to work within the casino licensing track.
Case background
- Parties: Portapa (Pty) Ltd t/a Supabets, Supaworld Gauteng, and Intelligent Gaming (Aardvark software) appealed against CASA; the Gauteng Gambling Board also appealed in a linked matter.
- Timeline: High Court (Johannesburg) found in 2023 that roulette is a casino game; appeals were heard on 26 August 2025 and decided on 21 October 2025.
- Order: The SCA dismissed the Board’s appeal, upheld CASA’s cross-appeal, declared bookmakers not permitted to offer fixed-odds bets on roulette, and set aside the Board’s 2018 finding that Supabets had acted lawfully.
“The Gauteng Act is a carefully constructed scheme … intended to limit the right to freedom of trade within the gambling industry.” — SCA judgment.
Sources and further reading
- Supreme Court of Appeal judgment (full text) — Portapa (Pty) Ltd t/a Supabets & Others v CASA; GGB v CASA [2025] ZASCA 158 (21 Oct 2025). https://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZASCA/2025/158.html.
