AMABHUNGANE: Online gambling: Look who’s knocking at the door
A new online gambling licence applicant is raising questions about how closely South Africa’s gambling regulators scrutinise the people behind these businesses. Bet777 owner Maor Yehudai has links to a crypto trading scheme accused of fraud, making the regulator’s decision to keep his application under investigation particularly troubling.
An online gambling licence applicant in South Africa, Maor Yehudai, is raising concerns about the thoroughness of the country's gambling regulators. The Bet777 company, owned by Yehudai, is currently under investigation by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, despite numerous red flags regarding potential fraud and money laundering.
This investigation is particularly alarming given Yehudai's links to a fraudulent crypto trading scheme, which was exposed through his 2022 legal battle with FirstRand bank. The regulator, however, continues to issue licences despite public concerns about the social and economic impact of South Africa's growing gambling epidemic.
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