While the National Gambling Board’s (NGB’s) introduction of a portal that will allow punters to verify the legal status of online gambling sites is a welcome move, the industry also cautions that the database must be kept updated.
The NGB explains that the portal aims to protect the public and economy by eradicating illegal gambling through providing a list of all legally registered gambling sites in SA. It also seeks to promote responsible gambling.
More than R50 billion in gross gambling revenue is diverted offshore each year, with an estimated 16 million South Africans having engaged with illegal platforms in the past year, according to the South African Bookmakers’ Association (SABA).
The authorities battle to shut down illegal sites because each time one site is blocked, they simply change URLs in a game of whack-a-mole. SABA’s research lists a sample of 49 unlicensed websites it found that offer online gambling to South Africans, including 1xBet.com, 22BetCasino and 888 Casino.
Welcome move
In a statement issued by SABA CEO Sean Coleman, the association notes that the NGB’s move to establish an online database is welcome “as part of the broader effort to address the illegal gambling market”.
Coleman previously noted that “the majority of online gambling activity in South Africa is still taking place outside the regulated system. That means millions of consumers are exposed to operators who pay no local taxes, provide no consumer protection, and operate entirely outside of South African law”.
Government and the industry have diverging views on what constitutes illegal gambling. The NGB argues that no online gambling is allowed, while sports betting is.
Several lawyers have told ITWeb this is incorrect: online gambling is allowed if the operator is licensed by one of the provinces.
Garron Whitesman, founder of Whitesmans Attorneys, says while there is still disagreement between the NGB and the provincial authorities and the industry about casino-style gambling with licensed bookmakers, the portal is a positive step as part of an effort to keep the unlicensed market at bay.
Dirty data?
However, Coleman cautions that the portal will only be effective if the data underpinning its search function is accurate and current. “It is essential that the database is consistently updated to ensure newly-licensed operators are not disadvantaged by outdated information.”
Whitesman says if the NGB starts removing licensed bookmakers that offer casino-style games from the list, stating they are illegal operators, that would be an issue. “That, however, really doesn’t seem to be its objective.
“As long as they [the NGB] keep the list current – in other words, when a new licence is granted, update the list in relatively real-time – this should be more useful than not.”
Coleman says, as of yesterday, it appears that licences granted by provincial licensing authorities in March 2026 have not yet been reflected in the portal.
* The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation offers free, confidential counselling and treatment for people affected by problem gambling. Contact details for Gamblers Anonymous are here.
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