The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB) has invited public comment on proposed amendments to provincial gambling legislation, including the introduction of an economic opportunity tax for casinos that relocate to more profitable areas.
Under the proposed bill, casinos that move from their current locations to new sites within the Western Cape would be required to pay an additional fee based on the economic benefits of the relocation.
The public has until 19 July to submit comments on the proposed amendments.
WCGRB also clarified that while online betting is legal and regulated by provincial authorities, online casino gambling remains illegal in South Africa.
According to WCGRB CEO Primo Abrahams, the national government is leading discussions on potential online gambling regulation, while provinces continue to license legal betting operators and monitor the growth of online betting platforms
In a separate development from the country, the South African Bookmakers Association (SABA) recently called for legislative reforms to improve enforcement against illegal offshore gambling operators, as the National Gambling Board (NGB) advances plans to restrict access to unlawful gambling websites.
The issue has become more contentious after the Internet Service Providers’ Association raised concerns about the legal and technical foundations of proposed blocking measures.
SABA acknowledged that any enforcement action must be supported by clear legislation, regulatory oversight and constitutional protections, but maintained that South Africa’s existing legal framework provides regulators with limited practical mechanisms to address the challenge.
The NGB has already escalated public warnings on illegal gambling. In May, Global Gaming Insider reported that the regulator used Section 16 of the National Gambling Act to apply to the High Court for the seizure of unlawful gambling winnings, with ZAR 3.1m ($189,100) forfeited between April 2025 and April 2026.
The NGB launched a Verified Gambling Operators portal in 2026 to centralise information on licensed operators in South Africa
