MTBPS 2026: South Africans will have to wait until the February 2027 budget to find out about government’s proposed national online gambling tax.
This is according to finance minister Enoch Godongwana, during his presentation of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement today.
Last year, National Treasury published a discussion paper proposing a national online gambling tax.
The discussion document proposed a new 20% national tax on gross gambling revenue – the amount bet minus winnings – for all online betting and interactive gambling operators.
Licensed bookmakers, which already pay value-added tax (VAT) and provincial gambling taxes totalling about 18% to 19% of their gross gaming revenue, would have to pay this new tax on top of existing charges. Treasury estimates the extra tax would “translate into over R10 billion in additional revenue for national government”.
However, the proposal has been met with resistance, with South Africa’s online gambling industry arguing it’s not only unconstitutional but would also push punters and companies deeper into the internet.
According to the minister, an announcement of the final design will be made in February.
“The submissions received generally recognised the need to address the growth of online gambling and its associated harm,” he told members of Parliament.
“Consultations are ongoing on the proposed tax design, its linkages to the existing regulatory framework, and the implications for provinces and the currently regulated market.”
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