Is Online Gambling Legal in South Africa?
There is a distinction between online gambling and online betting whereas gambling is illegal; betting is permitted by law, subject to the operator being appropriately licensed by the Board.
Gambling
It is illegal to engage in online gambling which is also known as interactive gambling and includes casino games and poker, whether offered by operators who are located within the borders of South Africa or beyond the South African borders.
Betting
Online betting allows a punter to place a bet via the internet. The bookmaker has to be registered by the local Board, however, South Africans cannot gamble with international companies registered outside the region.
FICA
In order to bet online legal bookmakers will require you to complete FICA registration by submitting Copy of ID/Passport/Drivers Licence and proof of residence. (examples:
- Utility Bill
- Bank Statement
- Lease or rental agreement
- Mortgage Statement
Why FICA
Fica is required by the South African Government to protect South Africans from dealing with illegal companies not registered within the country, and also to track illegal activities involving money such as money laundering.
With FICA you have protection, if you have disputes with your bookmaker which is registered in S.A your matter can be taken to the Gambling Board for review. But if you deal with unlicensed bookmakers all your winnings will be confiscated by the state.
There are many unlicensed bookmakers in South Africa which provide online casino and all of them don’t require FICA registration,
The best way to find the registered bookmakers is to check on our bookmakers list or check if your bookmaker site is registered with the following gambling boards, which can be found on the website footer.
Provincial Gambling Boards
- Gauteng:
www.ggb.org.za - Western Cape:
www.wcgrb.co.za - Eastern Cape:
www.ecgbb.co.za - Free State:
www.gla.fs.gov.za - Kwazulu Natal:
www.kzngambling.co.za - Mpumalanga:
www.mgb.org.za - North West:
www.nwgb.co.za - Limpopo:
www.lgb.org.za - Northern Cape:
www.ncgb.co.za
