South Africa has one of the world’s fairest constitutions and a beautiful natural environment. But sometimes the issue is implementation. The thorny matter of internet gambling is where this apparently perfect constitution falls short.
Gambling is not new to South Africans. One in ten South Africans is expected to do so. Gamblers in South Africa spend up to R150 a month, which is noteworthy given the country’s low median income. The “Rainbow Nation” is oddly still against internet gambling, thus players are advised to stay away from online casinos.
The National Gambling Amendment Act of 2008 governs gambling in South Africa and is enforced by the National Gambling Board, the country’s top betting regulator.
The situation of internet gambling law is complicated by unsuccessful efforts to legalize it. Gambling has been outlawed in South Africa for much of its history.
This changed in 1996 when the National Gambling Board was established to provide norms and regulations for the previously illicit gambling sector.
The legislation was updated in 2004 and 2008. In 2004, the National Gambling Board said that it will investigate several frameworks to regulate various types of gambling, including online. The NGB even set up a committee to investigate.
The 2008 amendment legislation was signed into law by the president in July but never went into effect, according to media sources. It’s been nearly a decade since the legislation was brought in without any mention of beginning, and the optimism that filled so many eager gamblers has faded.
Aside from fixed-odds contingency betting, the only kinds of permitted internet gambling in South Africa are sports betting and horse racing betting via registered betting companies.
Online gambling, including poker, casino games, and bingo, is illegal and punishable by up to R10 million ($679 510.00) in penalties or ten years in jail. This legislation affects operators, banks that handle unlawful internet gambling earnings, and gamers.
Lee Zama, Board Member of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, has outlined four essential ideas that relate to the legality of internet gambling.
Security of players and support for problem gamblers are among them. Policing is concerned with assurances from gambling operators that they would cooperate and allow the government to regulate their activities.
Regulating the presently illegal internet gaming sector would take a lot of time, money, and energy. Many internet casinos exist and operate outside the law, but would welcome a chance to be more favorable in the eyes of the constitution.