South Africa's nine gambling boards: who licenses what, and how to check a licence

Photo: Ruby D-Brown, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Who makes the rules?

The National Gambling Act 7 of 2004 sets the national framework. It defines the forms of gambling, sets the standards that apply across the country and establishes a national regulator, the National Gambling Board, which oversees the system and the provincial regulators. Under the Constitution, gambling (other than the national lottery) is an area where national and provincial governments share responsibility. So each province also has its own gambling law and its own board, which issues the licences and polices the operators in that province.

Which are the nine provincial regulators?

Names and structures change from time to time as provinces merge regulators; the province's own government website is the authoritative source.

What do the provincial boards license?

Within the national framework, provincial boards license land-based casinos, bingo halls, limited payout machines (the slot machines in bars and taverns), racecourses and totalisators, and bookmakers. A bookmaker licensed by a provincial board can take bets, including online, under that board's conditions. That is why the footer of a South African betting site names a province and a licence number.

Why are online betting and online casinos treated differently?

Because the law treats them differently. Betting on sport and horse racing has long been licensed through bookmaker licences, and provinces have allowed licensed bookmakers to take bets online. Online casino games — slots, roulette, blackjack played over the internet — are a different category. The national law, as interpreted by the regulators and courts, does not provide for online casino licences, and the regulators have repeatedly described "interactive gambling" of that kind as not permitted. Proposals to change this have been discussed for years, and draft legislation has been published for comment more than once; our news section follows those developments as they happen.

In practice, South African players do use casino sites licensed abroad, typically in Curaçao or Malta. Those sites are not licensed by any South African board, which matters if something goes wrong.

How do I check a South African betting licence?

1. Find the licence statement in the site footer or terms: it should name the province and the licence number.
2. Go to the provincial board's website directly — type the address yourself rather than following a link from the betting site.
3. Look up the licensee list. Most boards publish lists of licensed bookmakers or a way to verify a licence.
4. Match the company name. The licence is held by a company, which may trade under a different brand name.

Where do I complain?

For an operator licensed in South Africa, use the operator's complaints process first, then the provincial board that licensed it. For a site licensed abroad, the complaint goes to the foreign regulator named in its licence, and South African boards cannot help directly. Our overview of gambling regulators worldwide lists the main ones.

What does a licence protect?

A provincial licence brings duties: verifying players' identity and age, keeping player funds separately, supporting responsible gambling and dealing with complaints. It also brings the obligations of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, which is why licensed bookmakers ask for documents — see our guide to proof of residence for betting accounts. And licensed operators must support self-exclusion; our guide to self-exclusion in South Africa explains how it works.

Quick answers

Is it illegal for me to play at an offshore casino?

The national law addresses both operators and players of unlawful interactive gambling. Enforcement has focused on operators, payment flows and advertising, but the legal position is not risk-free for players either.

Does a licence in one province cover the whole country?

A provincial licence is issued under that province's law. Online bookmakers licensed in one province do serve customers elsewhere; the conditions are set by the licensing board.