Licensing Jurisdiction
The legal gambling status in South Africa remains unchanged since about two decades ago. South Africa established the National Gambling Act of 1996 that shed a light on a national lottery. bingo, casinos, and sports betting. In 2004, the act was reviewed further to address online gambling. This was when South Africa drew the line between betting and gambling on websites.
Since then, there have been multiple clarifications that allow online betting. On the other hand, online gambling is illegal. It’s also in 1996 through the National Gambling Act when the national regulatory body was established.
The National Gambling Board of South Africa is tasked with establishing a standard set of rules that govern the industry. In addition to the overall board, nine other provincial gambling boards were established. The reasoning behind this is to offer a tighter grip on each region.
The Main Focus of the National Gambling Board of South Africa
The National Gambling Board of South Africa is keen on regulating the industry, especially since the laws around online gambling fall in a gray area. One of the biggest focus areas for the board is anti-money laundering (AML). The board requires all casinos within the jurisdiction to implement effective anti-money laundering (AML) policies and programs. This must include mechanisms that provide for the detection and reporting of suspicious activities and transactions alike.
Furthermore, these platforms are required to perform customer identification and keep their records. This is in line with the FIC Act and the Regulations. Responsible gambling is another key area of concern for the NGB. According to the board’s regulations, casinos must have policies on self-exclusion and limits that help gamblers deal with gambling addiction. In addition to the regulations, the NGB also set up the National Responsible Gambling Program that focuses on educating and creating awareness on responsible gambling.
Security at Online Casinos Licensed by National Gambling Board of South Africa
Remember, online gambling was addressed by the National Gambling Amendment Act of 2008. However, the act is yet to become law. This forces online punters in South Africa to seek alternative offshore online gambling platforms. This means they are exposed to unlicensed and potentially insecure gaming sites. While most of these sites use SSL encryption technology, a good number also don’t have these security measures. As a result, players’ data is exposed to unauthorized third parties.
Dispute resolution is also available. However, should you have a complaint about a wager placed on a licensed operator, you must engage the concerned operator. If you don’t get a favorable resolution, consider formally lodging a dispute with the regulatory authority in the jurisdiction where you placed a bet.
