South Africa’s National Gambling Board Moves to Block Illegal Sites, Cutting off a R50 Billion Empire
South Africa’s National Gambling Board (NGB) has issued a request for service providers to help identify and block illegal gambling websites.
The board has kick started one of the country’s strongest enforcement actions yet against offshore betting operators.
The move comes as online gambling continues to reshape Africa’s gaming industry, with smartphones, digital payments and internet access. Driving rapid growth while making it easier for unlicensed foreign operators to reach millions of users.
Industry research commissioned by the South African Bookmakers Association estimates that illegal operators account for 62% of South Africa’s online betting market, attracting about 16 million users and generating more than $3 billion (R50 billion) in gross gambling revenue every year.
Why Illegal Operators Need to be Stopped ?
According to the gambling regulator, illegal operators undermine the regulated industry, deprive the government of tax revenue and expose consumers to platforms that operate outside South African law.
The regulator said illegal gambling has expanded rapidly in both physical and online formats, fuelled by technological advances, policy gaps and organised criminal activity.
It warned that many offshore operators exploit digital wallets, cryptocurrency transactions and cross-border regulatory loopholes to avoid enforcement while continuing to target South African consumers.
