Remote Gambling Bill seeks to regulate a neglected sector deal and swell state coffers
28 January 2025 - 16:03
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SA’s online betting market keeps on growing. Picture: 123RF
On November 8 parliament gazetted a notice of my intention to introduce the Remote Gambling Bill in the National Assembly and invited comment (“Sports betting tightens grip on SA as battle for market share heats up”, January 27).
This private member’s bill recognises that “over the past 13 to 14 years the SA public has been exposed to and has participated in online and remote gambling. By not regulating this gambling activity the erosion of the rule of law and criminal activity is being encouraged, while the public is not effectively protected. At the same time, a lack of regulation is resulting in revenue and jobs being lost to other gambling jurisdictions”.
Overlaps between betting and gambling regulations are confusing and legislation is outdated. More than 20 comments on the bill were received, from licensed betting and gambling operatorstolawyers and members of the public. My DA colleagues and I, together with parliament’s legislative drafting unit, are considering these comments before deciding on a course of action.
This could involve bringing the bill before the portfolio committee or seeking ways of merging the provisions of the bill with the National Gambling Amendment Bill, which is languishing in parliament’s mediation committee after being rejected by the National Council of Provinces in 2021.
I welcome the efforts of Makashule Gana, MP, and others, in drawing attention to the explosion of unregulated online gambling in SA. I have made clear to him my desire to achieve a cross-party legislative solution that will protect consumers and the industry alike, as well as raise much-needed revenue for the Treasury.
Toby Chance, MP DA trade, industry & competition spokesperson
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Online gambling is offside
Remote Gambling Bill seeks to regulate a neglected sector deal and swell state coffers
On November 8 parliament gazetted a notice of my intention to introduce the Remote Gambling Bill in the National Assembly and invited comment (“Sports betting tightens grip on SA as battle for market share heats up”, January 27).
This private member’s bill recognises that “over the past 13 to 14 years the SA public has been exposed to and has participated in online and remote gambling. By not regulating this gambling activity the erosion of the rule of law and criminal activity is being encouraged, while the public is not effectively protected. At the same time, a lack of regulation is resulting in revenue and jobs being lost to other gambling jurisdictions”.
Overlaps between betting and gambling regulations are confusing and legislation is outdated. More than 20 comments on the bill were received, from licensed betting and gambling operators to lawyers and members of the public. My DA colleagues and I, together with parliament’s legislative drafting unit, are considering these comments before deciding on a course of action.
This could involve bringing the bill before the portfolio committee or seeking ways of merging the provisions of the bill with the National Gambling Amendment Bill, which is languishing in parliament’s mediation committee after being rejected by the National Council of Provinces in 2021.
I welcome the efforts of Makashule Gana, MP, and others, in drawing attention to the explosion of unregulated online gambling in SA. I have made clear to him my desire to achieve a cross-party legislative solution that will protect consumers and the industry alike, as well as raise much-needed revenue for the Treasury.
Toby Chance, MP
DA trade, industry & competition spokesperson
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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