South Africa Adopts Altered Gambling Bill

Of all countries on the African continent, South Africa has the most well-developed and regulated gambling market, both online and land-based. However, the National Gambling Amendment Bill has just been redrafted by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry.

Ironing Out the Wrinkles

A quite comprehensive Bill has already been introduced by the Department of Trade and Industry, but according to Joanmariae Fubbs, the committee’s chairperson, three technical issues were identified, in which they wanted to deal with immediately.

They did so in order to respond in a hasty manner to some existing governance challenges…

…and the three issues they have tracked down are:

• The reconfiguration of the National Gambling Board to the National Gambling Regulator
• Addressing governance challenges relating to the National Gambling Policy Council
• And broadening the National Central Electronic Monitoring System

Ms Fubbs has added that multiple other facets of gambling like dog racing, horse racing, electronic bingo, betting on lottery results and online gaming are being considered and will be addressed by the Parliament.

The amendments who were adopted on the spot will pave the way for “more comprehensive and holistic amendments to the gambling regulatory framework,” according to Ms Fubbs.

An Ambiguous Market

As the African country with the most advanced economy and levels of technological advancement, South Africa’s market is thriving compared to other local regulated markets, but is not without its ailments.

Certain legal frame-works are still ambiguous and open for interpretation, despite the definite progress that has been made in recent years when it comes to online gambling, and decades, if we’re talking land-based properties.

The aforementioned ambiguity stems from the fact that South African National Gambling Act contains some contradicting statements:

For instance the claim that only bookmakers licensed by NGB can provide online gambling services to South African players is challenged by the opposing statement in the same Act that says that no regulatory body should provide any online gambling services whatsoever.

This contradiction is used by numerous off-shore operators in their favor, which offer their gaming services to the residents of this country without fear of punitive measures which are not implied anywhere in the text.

South Africa is home to the arguably largest online and land-based casino on the continent, Springbok, as well as CasinoLuck, EmuCasino and BetCruise.

Source:

“South Africa accepts new gambling bill”, Niji Ng, europeangaming.eu, November 23, 2018.