Until recently, South Africa did not have a fully regulated online gambling legislative framework. While the country’s National Gambling Amendment Act was tabled in 2008, it was never signed into force.
That’s all set to change now that the country’s opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), hopes to table a bill similar to the 2008 act before the National Assembly of Parliament.
Why Legislation is Necessary
A spokesperson for the DA noted that the country has allowed for the breakdown of the rule of law by not having the proper regulating legislation. It’s also allowed criminal activity to thrive. As such, the public has not enjoyed appropriate protection.
While the 2022 legislation has not yet been published, the party has explained that it will cover five key areas.
The first will be the regulation of issuing South African online gambling licences. This will fall under the authority of provincial authorities. Provision will also be made for procedures regarding objections to allocating these licences.
Secondly, the bill will regulate advertising. The DA said it expects the bill to introduce several restrictions relating to gambling ads, focusing on ensuring compliance with the country’s Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA).
