Today, 30+ online South Africa casinos are licensed by the NGB and the board in that specific province, and gambling at offshore betting sites and casinos remain illegal. The 2010 National Gambling Act put an abrupt halt to online gambling as it’s known in many other parts of the world, and SA players could no longer gamble at foreign gambling sites without breaking the law. For a few years, this ban did not apply to gambling sites located outside the country, but this changed with the 2010 National Gambling Act. The National Gambling Act 2004 banned all types of gambling on the internet, except for gambling at betting sites with the licences mentioned above. It has been a bumpy road for online gambling in South Africa. What this means for South African players is that they can legally gamble at any of these sites, but not anywhere else. What is the South Africa casinos law frameworkĪ gambling and racing board exists for each of the 9 provinces in South Africa, and all gambling houses, casinos and betting institutions are required to be licensed by one of these boards in order to operate. The National Gambling Board was established during this time, along with the National Lottery which still exists today.

In 1996, the National Gambling Act announced new changes that would classify horse racing as gambling, while also putting a casino licensing system into place that would make it possible for certain gambling institutions to operate legally in South Africa. Only horse racing remained permitted as it was considered a sporting activity rather than gambling, and the ban caused a dramatic spike in illegal gambling activity.

South Africa’s Gambling Act of 1965 was the start of what would become a heavy ban on gambling throughout the country. South Africa has very strict gambling laws, but this doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t gamble legally. The key is knowledge, and that’s what we’ll be focusing on here. Before we dive into the wonderful world of gambling in South Africa, it is essential to cover the basics by understanding what is legally expected of you.

Is online casino legal in south africa