South Africa Awaits Gambling Report

August 18 - After a long wait, South African online gambling operators may learn what - if any - changes are to take place in the industry this month.

The Gambling Review Commission is set to release its final report to the South African Trade and Industry Minister, Rob Davies.

The report should provide the government with insight into changes that could be taking place in gambling legislation in South Africa.

Davies commissioned the report last year to examine the changes in the South African gambling industry, with public hearings held all over the country.

One of the key areas that will be addressed is that of online gambling, considering the many changes and advances in technology that have taken place since the National Gambling Act was introduced in 2004.

South Africans spend literally millions of Rands each day gambling at online sites, despite the fact that the dry law makes it illegal for them to do so.

One of the commissioners of the Gambling Commission, Stephen Louw confirmed that they were hoping to hand over the report to the minister within the next two weeks.

"Countries continue to grapple with online gaming, irrespective of whether they decided to ban or legalize it," said Louw. "For example, the US is the 13th largest internet gambling market in the world, yet online gaming is illegal there."

Louw said that few countries actually understand the full implications of online gambling.

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