South Africa Government Moves to Strengthen Gambling Advertising Regulations with New Policy Council
The South African government has announced plans to establish a dedicated Gambling Policy Council aimed at enhancing compliance and regulating advertising practices within the industry. This initiative follows a recent study by the National Gambling Board that highlighted several instances of noncompliant advertisements across various media platforms.
The study revealed that some gambling companies had aired ads lacking adequate responsible gambling disclaimers, often during family-oriented programs such as MasterChef and Junior MasterChef. These violations raised concerns about minors’ exposure to gambling content and the promotion of gambling during times traditionally designated for family viewing.
Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition Parks Tau stated, “The National Gambling Act prohibits the placing of advertisements in media primarily directed at persons under the age of 18. However, the board has noted that advertisements have frequently been aired during family viewing times, including during popular shows like MasterChef and Junior MasterChef.”
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He further emphasized that gambling advertisements had been observed on radio streaming platforms like YouTube without responsible gambling disclaimers, and that sponsorship of children’s shows by gambling companies was a recurring issue. “There is an issue of sponsorship of family-friendly programmes, where major bookkeepers sponsor them. This results in the increase of visibility and frequency of gambling content during shows mostly viewed by minors.”
The Gambling Board, which had been inactive for nearly a decade following its placement under administration in 2014, is in the process of appointing new board members and a CEO, with the department beginning these steps last year. The Gambling Policy Council, which has not convened since 2018, will be re-established “without delay,” according to Tau. Once operational, the council will focus on improving enforcement of gambling laws across provinces.
The 2023/24 annual report from the National Gambling Board indicated that R1.1 trillion was wagered during that financial year, with gambling revenue rising by 25% to R59.3 billion. Betting accounted for 60% of that revenue (R35.9 billion), while casinos contributed 29% (R17.3 billion). Most revenue was generated in the Western Cape, followed by Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
Minister Tau also highlighted the government’s intention to regulate online gambling more effectively. “There is an intention to ensure that we can regulate online gambling. It is an environment where different provinces have different approaches, with some being more relaxed. We also want to ensure that there is rehabilitation of addicts,” he said.
Previously, in his foreword to the Gambling Board’s annual report, Tau noted that online betting remains largely unregulated, citing the rise of illegal online gambling activities and aggressive advertising targeting vulnerable populations as significant challenges requiring a robust regulatory response.
Source: News24
