Online Gambling Regulation South Africa
- Gaming laws in South Africa have undergone a number of changes since South Africa’s Gambling Act of 1965 was enacted. Since that time the gambling industry has also undergone many changes and the establishment of online casinos has added a new dimension to the issue.
- Online gambling in South Africa remained illegal, except for sports betting which still required online sportsbooks to get a license in one of the South African provinces. All other typical casino games, such as poker, slots, roulette, or blackjack are strictly forbidden. On the National Gambling Board site, it is clearly written.
Gambling is not a new phenomenon in the world and it has become a multi-billion dollars industry over the years. With that, there are lots of casinos around the world both land-based and online as well as a ton of players patronizing each establishment. Previously, players could only play casino games at specific locations where casinos or gambling centres were established. Today, it is easy for anyone to visit an online casino, create and fund an account, and afterwards, start to play their favourite games. In other words, it has become a lot simpler to start gambling nowadays. And it mostly does not matter where you are located. Click here, if you will like to learn more about online casinos.
History and Overview of Gambling Laws and Online Casinos in South Africa
To summarize, while online gambling in South Africa is illegal, the government still permits sports-betting from companies that have been registered and approved by the province where they operate from.
Online Gambling Regulation South Africa Government
Gambling in South Africa has been around for quite some time and over the years, it has evolved to become a major industry. Just like in many countries around the world, gambling is a common activity among a large number of people in South Africa. Although in 1965, gambling was completely banned, until the Democratic Government in 1994 was ushered in before gambling was legalized in South Africa. However, during this ban, there were still underground gambling going on in different settlements and locations known as Bantustans. These Bantustans are independent areas usually referred to as homelands by the natives of South Africa. But after the ban was lifted, land-based casinos started operation fully. Visit http://www.edgenet.org/ to learn more.
Over the years, since the ban on gambling activities have been officially lifted the country has recorded a large sum in revenue. To keep it that based on the fact that most of the revenue comes from brick and mortar casino licensing fees among other charges and royalties, the Government placed a ban on online gambling. This, in essence, was to reduce the competition against the land-based casinos and to ensure that the revenue coming in does not depreciate. However, with the increase in the number of online casinos and the advancement in technology, players still get to play at online casinos. This is because there are various online casinos that now allow South African players to register.
- In 1965, all gambling activities were restricted
- Today, online casinos are still restricted from operating in the country.
Online Gambling License South Africa
According to the National Gambling Act and Gambling Amendment Act, which were introduced in 2004 and 2008 respectively, all online casinos are barred from operating in the country. This means that no online casino can set up their operations in South Africa and as a result, they do not have the go-ahead to serve players in the country. Notwithstanding, players that love playing still find a way to play online through different online casinos. Impressively, some online casinos were primarily developed to accept players from South Africa. So, it is quite easy for players in the country to still play all their favourite casino games at the comfort of their home and on the go.
Additional Information, Tips and Final Note
Even though online gambling activities are technically restricted by the Gambling laws and Acts of the country, players are not prosecuted from playing at an online casino. This is because it is a popular phenomenon that the people of South Africa are notorious when it comes to gambling activities. In other words, you will not be fined or sent to jail even if you choose to play at online casinos. Also, recently there have been rumours that the recent administration is looking to start licensing online casinos so that playing online can become legal. As a result, we might begin to see top online casinos coming to operate in South Africa and bringing all the great bonuses with them.
You can also join the vast collection of players who enjoy playing at online casinos by searching for different online casinos in South Africa on your favourite search engine. You can also play at top online casinos with the use of top VPN solutions which will help you buy pass any kind of restriction. But always ensure that you confirm that the casino you are choosing to join is legit and has is licensed by a top regulatory body before you proceed. Some of the top authorities that we recommend are the UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, Swedish Gambling Commission and so on. All in all, playing online in South Africa is quite easy even if you are a newbie.