The State of Gambling Industry in South Africa
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South Africa is one of the leading gambling countries in Africa. The country has imposed heavy restrictions on gambling since 1673. In 1965, the Gambling Act banned various types of sports betting except horse racing.
The democratic government came to power in 1994 and legalized multiple forms of gambling. The National Gambling Act of 1996 introduced standard procedures for regulating betting activities. In 2004, the National Gaming Act restricted interactive gambling activities relating to poker, casino, and bingo. Online horse racing and sports betting are legal in South Africa on condition the website or bookmaker holds a license to run such activities, but an amendment Act was introduced in 2008 to legalize interactive betting. It is yet to take effect because it received resistance from anti-money laundering authorities and land-based casinos. North Gauteng High Court issued a ruling in 2010 that banned online gambling in the country.
One in ten South Africans engages in gambling activities. Sports bettors spend about $9.5 (R150) every month on betting. South Africa's gross gambling revenue will reach $2.4 billion in 2021.
There are land-based casinos in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town. There are also licensed online casinos. Players can deposit and withdraw funds in South African rands using Skrill, bank transfers, Ecopayz, Neteller and EasyEFT.
The gambling industry in South Africa is constantly evolving. The government has enacted laws and regulations to ensure only compliant casinos and betting sites can offer their services in the country.
