South African Gaming Legal at Last

A bill legalising and regulating online gambling in South Africa has, at last, been signed by the President. The legislation, however, will not be implemented 'until a date chosen by the President.'

Player provisions
The bill was initially approved by Parliament on May 9 2008 and includes provisions for player protection, underage and problem gamblers. It also includes restrictions on advertising and marketing, stringent licensing and regulatory controls, as well as anti-money laundering precautions.

Gambling study
The National Gambling Amendment Bill followed an international study of online gambling, carried out by the South African National Gambling Board. The research found that there is a strong need for licensed and regulated online gambling within South Africa.

Legal benefits
So while the United States government continues to allow illegal online gambling sites to flourish, the rest of the world is slowly coming round to the benefits of a legalised and regulated internet gaming industry.