ANC Stands Firm as Opposition Slams Handling of Illegal Online Gambling
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has rejected opposition claims that it has failed to act against illegal online gambling, insisting that the government continues to strengthen oversight of the rapidly expanding sector.
At the same time, data from the National Gambling Board highlights the industry’s economic significance, showing it supports over 33,000 direct and 144,000 indirect jobs, and generates an estimated R5.8 billion in taxes and levies during the 2024–25 financial year.
During a recent parliamentary session, opposition MPs voiced concern that South Africa’s regulatory framework has not kept pace with the explosive growth of online gambling. Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana criticized the government for allowing the National Gambling Policy Council to remain dormant for seven years, while the National Gambling Board has not been fully constituted for more than a decade.
Similarly, Toby Chance of the Democratic Alliance argued that the government’s failure to implement the 2008 Amendment Act represents a missed chance to tighten controls on foreign betting platforms targeting South African players. “The ANC government has shown, over these 16 years, that it has no intention of protecting players and the industry from criminal elements. Money from online gambling is largely flowing offshore, enriching foreign companies at the expense of desperate South Africans,” he said.
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ANC representatives dismissed the accusations as politically motivated. MP Sheila Xego highlighted that the ANC pioneered gambling regulation across Africa through the 1996 National Gambling Act, which became a model for other jurisdictions.
She explained that the government decided against enforcing the 2008 amendments because the gambling landscape had changed rapidly, making sections of the legislation outdated and in need of review.
Mzwandile Masina, Chair of the Trade, Industry and Competition Committee, stated that the ANC has no intention of prohibiting legal gambling, emphasizing its economic and social value. Instead, he said, the government is prioritizing stronger oversight mechanisms to curb illegal online operations without harming compliant businesses. “The ANC-led government has acted before and continues to act against the gambling industry crisis, even though its actions are treated with suspicion and cynicism at some point,” he emphasized.
