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South Africa is top on the agenda of many online gambling companies who anticipate a liberalization of the country's anti-online gambling laws in the near future. This takes into account the fact that the country has first world communications and banking infrastructures and potentially low operational costs.
However, online gambling, both playing and operating, is currently illegal. This is despite an extensive study of the international industry and its implications for the country. Current indications are that licensing and regulation is the way to go for the South African government. According to an article in the Daily News, the High Court in Pretoria has ruled that anyone participating in online gambling, or helping to facilitate it, could face a fine of up to R10-million (USD $ 1.4 million) or 10 years in jail. The Cape Times revealed this week that online gambling currently makes up a small share of all gambling in South Africa, but its popularity is gaining ground rapidly.
It is not known how much money is spent on online gambling, but general gambling activity has been increasing across South Africa, with gross gambling revenue up by 16 percent from R9,9-billion in 2004/05 to R11,5-billion in 2005/06, according to the national gambling statistics database.
The government has consulted widely on the introduction of licensed and regulated Internet gambling as both a player service, and as a potential source of overseas revenues from licensed operations on South African soil and under strict regulation.
Such regulation would require companies to be registered and licensed in South Africa, with precautions to control problem or underage gambling.
In order for companies to obtain a license, gambling sites and advertisements would have to have responsible gambling information sections and links, together with assurances and undertakings of game fairness.
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