Mbeki Signs New Gambling Law

The new online gambling law was brought before MP's on May 9th of this year to have their final say on the legislation that is due to change the face of wagering in South Africa, and finally legalize online gambling. It took until now for President Mbeki to get around to signing the bill, and analysts have been told that that actual legislation will not be implemented "until a date chosen by the President."

The idea of legalizing online gambling was made after an intensive international study on the matter by the National Gambling Board. The results showed incredible support for a gambling industry that is licensed and regulated so that businesses can strive within a strict framework, all the while protecting consumers from fraud and other illegal activities.

While the amended gambling law was introduced nearly a year ago to Parliament, it took that long for all sides to study the issue and draw their own conclusions. In the end, as noted, Parliament voted in favor of the National Gambling Amendment Law two months ago.

Many of the provisions made in the new law are seen as a welcome addition to the current gambling landscape. Players will be better protected and a lot more effort will be put into preventing underage gambling. In addition, provisions have been made to settle any disputes - online or off, heightening players' protection. Advertising and marketing will be more strictly controlled and taxation issues will also be introduced under the new gambling law. Finally, casinos will be subject to strict licensing and regulatory policies.

We first reported on the South African gambling legislation back in May. Good to see progress has been made!

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