Online gambling in South Africa is currently in a state of ambiguity. It has been legal for licensed operators to offer online gambling for some time. The problem is that the National Gambling Act has remained unchanged for decades. An attempt to update the laws surfaced in 2008 but collapsed before being adopted. Now opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, is stepping up to take action.
The party is set to reintroduce the amendments referred to as the National Gambling Amended Act of 2008. The new version of the bill aims to address the same issues as the abandoned version. A spokesperson for the Democratic Alliance made a statement about the incoming changes.
The spokesperson first reiterated that it is legal for licensed operators to offer services. The spokesperson then explained that unregulated online gambling is a problem that needs to be addressed. The spokesperson emphasized that South African online casinos ought to abide by the law, as well as the SA betting sites.
Preventing the Erosion Of Laws
The new legislation has not yet been made publically available. However, it has been announced what the new laws aim to achieve. The most significant focus is the regulation of gambling-related advertising. Rumour has it that gambling ads may be restricted in certain circumstances. Another focus will be on protecting minors from online gambling.
After the bill has been introduced, local stakeholders will be given the opportunity to share their views. These views are to be submitted to the Speaker of The National Assembly.
