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The South African newspaper Business Day reports that Internet gambling will involve only about 2 percent of the gambling population compared with the 80 percent engaged in land-based casino activity. This is according to the South African government's Department of Trade and Industry, says the paper.
These figures were used to rebut claims by the Casino Association of SA that the introduction of online gambling would have a negative impact on its land-based casino members. “There is no apparent threat to the land-based casino industry from interactive gambling,” said DTI acting deputy director-general Fungai Sibanda. He told Parliament’s trade and industry committee this week that the market would determine the financial viability of internet gambling.
Sibanda was responding to suggested amendments to the National Gambling Amendment Bill made by gambling operators, civil society and religious groups. The bill will legalize and regulate internet gambling for the first time in South Africa.
Sibanda also rejected a demand by casino operators that they be automatically licensed to operate internet gambling sites, saying there was no known jurisdiction in the world that gave automatic licenses.
Mr. Sibanda also stressed that the licensing process must be transparent, fair and open to allow new players into the industry. He added that person-to-person betting exchanges, as proposed by UK operator Betfair, would not be introduced before research into its implications was finalized, and this appeared to be some time in the distant future. Regulations issued by Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa will determine the registration and verification process for all players.
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