South Africa moves to tighten gambling laws and advertising rules amid addiction concerns

South Africa’s National Gambling Policy Council is moving to accelerate new gambling legislation and develop stricter advertising regulations as the government seeks to strengthen oversight of the country’s gambling industry.

Minister of Trade and Industry Parks Tau said in a parliamentary reply that the NGPC has met twice since July 2025 to assess gambling-related challenges and develop policy responses aimed at addressing gambling addiction and improving regulatory oversight.

“The resolution was to fast-track the development of a Bill to address gambling challenges in South Africa,” Tau said, adding that the NGPC has also established a Gambling Technical Committee to review the National Gambling Amendment Bill, 2018.

The minister also said the department is developing new regulations on gambling advertising alongside the proposed legislation. The NGPC has noted the impact of gambling advertising on the propensity to gamble, including its role in addiction.

The National Gambling Board is working with provincial authorities to develop uniform norms and standards for gambling advertising, which are expected to be implemented as licensing conditions for operators.

IOL News previously reported that illegal online gambling is draining South Africa’s economy of more than R50 billion ($3.05 billion) a year, with unlicensed offshore operators accounting for nearly two-thirds of all online gambling activity in the country.

The South African Bookmakers’ Association has warned that illegal online gambling has reached crisis levels, saying it threatens consumers, legitimate operators and the economy.

“While much of the recent public and media debate has focused on the growth of legal online betting, the existential crisis lies in the scale and impact of illegal offshore operators that continue to target South African consumers unchecked,” CEO Sean Coleman said.