ANALYSIS: South Africa can’t win a bet against online gambling

South Africans wagered R1.76-trillion in the 2025/26 financial year, with most bets taking place on mobile devices. The government aims to protect consumers, tax operators, and potentially shut down offshore platforms, but struggles to reach a consensus on who should have the authority to enforce such actions. Most online betting sites accepted rands and displayed a South African web address with a grey font containing a Curaçao gambling license. This appearance of legality masks an illicit betting industry.

The licensed, tax-paying industry thrives alongside an illicit one, which has learned to operate within the grey area. A 2004 statute divides power between national and provincial governments, making decisive action challenging. National gambling turnover reached R1.76-trillion in the 2025/26 financial year, with online betting accounting for 91% of digital wagering.

The government's primary concern is social, rather than fiscal, with many people being described as "poor, unemployed, desperate, and having low levels of financial literacy."

The National Gambling Board lacks operational powers to block online gambling platforms, as this falls under the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa)'s jurisdiction. Consequently, the National Gambling Board has identified the need for a state-level IP or website-blocking architecture, which currently does not exist.