The National Gambling Board has enthusiastically endorsed a landmark Supreme Court of Appeal judgment that prohibits bookmakers in Gauteng from providing roulette unless they hold a full casino licence, as articulated in the board’s official statement. This decision effectively outlaws online sportsbooks from incorporating casino-style games on their platforms, a practice previously widespread among operators.
Although rooted in the Gauteng Gambling Act, the ruling carries nationwide weight, according to the National Gambling Board. It reinforces South Africa’s policy of distinctly regulating casinos, sports betting, limited payout machines, and bingo to prevent overlap and ensure fair competition.
Bookmakers’ licences confine them to fixed-odds wagering on future events, such as sports or horse races, via online channels. Interactive gambling—real-time casino pursuits like roulette, blackjack, or poker—remains strictly forbidden under section 11 of the National Gambling Act, as clarified by the SCA in its verdict against Supabets. By masquerading casino outcomes as “contingencies,” certain platforms have unlawfully mimicked casinos, undermining licensed venues subjected to steeper taxes and physical restrictions.
The board has directed all bookmakers to promptly excise such games, with provincial regulators tasked to enforce compliance rigorously. Acting chief executive Lungile Dukwana urged swift penalties for violations, as reported by MyBroadband. Offenders risk forfeiture of winnings under section 16 of the Act, alongside criminal charges carrying up to ten years’ imprisonment, fines reaching R10 million, or both.
This clampdown arrives amid explosive growth in legal betting, which now eclipses traditional casinos. South Africans staked R1.5 trillion in the 2024/25 financial year—a R400 billion surge—yielding R75 billion in gross gambling revenue, according to the National Gambling Board’s latest annual report. Betting, dominated by online platforms, captured over sixty per cent, with turnover hitting R900 billion versus casinos’ R297 billion.
Provincial coffers swelled accordingly: the Western Cape harvested R1.46 billion in taxes (thirty per cent of its levy haul), Gauteng R1.15 billion, Mpumalanga nearly R890 million, and KwaZulu-Natal R734 million. Mpumalanga led turnover at R359 billion despite its modest population, edging the Western Cape’s R353 billion, as analysed by BusinessTech. Gauteng, once dominant, slipped to third at R174 billion.
The shift underscores mobile betting’s convenience, fuelling concerns over addiction amid ninety-plus illegal offshore sites, per Trade Minister Parks Tau’s disclosures. While safeguarding casinos—many black-owned—the verdict may redirect billions in revenue streams, prompting calls like Pick n Pay CEO Sean Summers’ for curbs on gambling ads. As enforcement ramps up, South Africa’s R75 billion industry braces for a more disciplined era.