SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Parliament of South Africa has received the ‘Remote Gambling Bill of 2024’, tabled by the Democratic Alliance (DA), considered the main opposition party to the ruling African National Congress (ANC) government.
Sponsored by MP Dean Macpherson, the DA’s Shadow Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, the Bill seeks to address South Africa’s inadequate regulatory framework governing online gambling activities. The DA has accused the ANC of “failing to provide adequate protection and regulation within the online gambling industry”.
As such, the DA has submitted the Remote Gambling Bill in response to the ANC government’s 16-year delay in enacting the National Gambling Amendment Act of 2008, which is necessary to regulate online gambling.
The DA stated: “After nearly 16 years, it has still not been brought into operation, meaning that a legal gap continues to exist in the industry. This is highly concerning given the massive strides and advances in online usage since then.”
The ANC must recognise the consequences of South Africa’s inadequate regulations governing online gambling, which have led to an increase in “criminal activity, the erosion of the rule of law, and significant financial losses in potential revenue and jobs, as the industry remains unprotected compared to land-based gambling.”
In its submission, the DA stated that it had taken over two years to draft the Remote Gambling Bill, taking care to find the “perfect balance between protection, regulation, and administration.”
Tabled in Parliament, the Bill aims to regulate online gambling by issuing licenses through provincial authorities instead of the centralised National Gambling Board (NGB). The Bill will establish procedures for license objections, regulate advertising, protect minors and vulnerable individuals, and ensure compliance with South Africa’s FICA laws.
Regarding South Africa’s current gambling framework, the DA stated that the National Gambling Board had become a “shadow of itself”, ineffective at regulating the online industry.
Of significance the Bill will apply a new ‘licensing application framework’, granting provincial authorities the right to issue licenses based on compliance with new laws. The new framework will offer specific licences to operate remote gambling services in South Africa for “operator, manufacturer, supplier, and maintenance provider licenses.”
The Bill updates the former commands of the Gambling Amendment Act on player protections duties-based transparency and accurate information provided to the consumer.
New rules detail that operators must ensure that players set their own individual financial limits on gambling spend. Furthermore, licences will be reviewed on “promoting enticements” to prevent exploitative practices.
The market will further be protected by ‘Dispute Resolution’ service to provide players to claim prizes and resolve disputes regarding winnings, including the involvement of the board if necessary.
The Bill is introduced at a critical time for South African politics, as the ANC government is anticipated to lose its majority in the upcoming General Election scheduled for 29 May.
The context provides the DA an opportunity to comprehensive gambling legislations structured to regulate all aspects of remote gambling, ensuring compliance with laws, safeguarding against abuse, and promoting responsible gambling practices.
“The ANC looks set to drop well below the 50% majority mark, which means that in the new Parliament, it will no longer have its majority to reject legislation on frivolous grounds merely out of spite because it originated from an opposition party.”
“It is Bills like the Remote Gambling Bill that are vital to protect the most vulnerable and with the ANC below 50%, the DA can ensure that this will be the first of many Bills introduced to rescue South Africa.”
