Sean Coleman, the CEO of the Association of South African Bookmakers (SABA), recently discussed the ongoing challenges in combating illegal gambling in South Africa. He clarified that the industry's efforts are still primarily in the advocacy and stakeholder engagement phase.
Coleman explained, "At this stage, it remains largely within the advocacy and stakeholder engagement phase. The publication of our statement was intended to contribute constructively to what we believe is an increasingly important national policy discussion rather than to suggest that legislative amendments are imminent."
His remarks highlight SABA's position that the issue is not a mere absence of laws against illegal online gambling, but rather a deficiency in laws that allow for effective enforcement.
In July, SABA proposed six legislative changes aimed at amending the National Gambling Act, the Electronic Communications Act, and the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, as well as calling for coordinated actions from the Reserve Bank and other regulatory bodies.
The concern over illegal gambling is significant, with a Yield Sec report commissioned by SABA estimating that illegal operators account for about 62% of all online gambling in the country. This activity diverts over R50 billion in gross gambling revenue offshore annually, with nearly 16 million South Africans using illegal platforms in the last year.
Coleman pointed out that these proposed reforms would require a coordinated strategy. "Our proposals touch on gambling regulation, electronic communications, payment systems and financial intelligence legislation, which means that a coordinated approach will ultimately be required," he stated.
SABA was encouraged by a recent development from the National Gambling Board (NGB), which called for expressions of interest from service providers who could monitor and block illegal gambling websites. This request was published on June 30, with submissions due by August 7, 2026. However, Coleman noted that SABA had not received further details about the procurement process or timelines for implementation.
"Our understanding is that the National Gambling Board has commenced a procurement process for specialised services aimed at strengthening its capabilities in identifying and responding to illegal online gambling activities," he shared. "Beyond what has been publicly tendered, we have not been provided with operational timelines or implementation details."
Coleman emphasized the role of technology in addressing illegal gambling, stating, "What is encouraging is that this reflects an acknowledgement that technology must form part of any meaningful enforcement strategy. Illegal operators are highly sophisticated, operate across multiple jurisdictions and can rapidly establish mirror and replacement websites. Manual enforcement mechanisms are therefore unlikely to be sufficient on their own."
However, he cautioned against viewing technology as a panacea. "SABA has consistently advocated for a multi-layered approach that combines technology, legislation and coordinated enforcement. Website blocking, while important, should not be viewed as a silver bullet," he cautioned.
The dialogue around illegal gambling has been contentious. SABA's July statement was a reaction to a position paper from the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) published on July 2. The ISPA emphasized the need for any disruption of internet services to be underpinned by a clear legislative framework. ISPA chair Sasha Booth-Beharilal stated that any blocking regime should be court-directed and subject to public disclosure and periodic review.
Coleman noted that there has not been direct communication from ISPA following SABA's statement. He clarified that SABA does not imply that ISPs should shoulder the responsibility for combating illegal gambling alone.
"Our position has never been that ISPs should bear sole responsibility for combating illegal gambling. Rather, we envisage a framework where appropriately authorised and legally mandated interventions are supported by clear legislative provisions and implemented in conjunction with other enforcement mechanisms," he stated.
Coleman stressed that the focus should not solely be on blocking but on creating a comprehensive and legally sound enforcement model that involves collaboration among government, regulators, and industry stakeholders.
He also pointed out how South Africa's regulatory landscape creates unique challenges. "Gambling regulation is a concurrent competence in South Africa, which means gambling can operate under any of nine provincial licensing frameworks, whereas many international models benefit from a single national licensing authority for online gambling." This complexity complicates enforcement and regulatory coordination.
Coleman added that illegal operators have increasingly tailored their services to the local market, offering support in local languages and utilizing South African payment methods, which introduces further challenges.
"South Africa faces significant socio-economic challenges that make consumers particularly vulnerable to marketing narratives that present gambling as an alternative source of income or financial relief," he remarked. Therefore, consumer education becomes essential.
He expressed the need for South Africa to adopt international best practices while also customizing responses to fit its own legal, economic, and technological context.
When asked to prioritize one intervention in the near term, Coleman suggested the importance of establishing mechanisms to disrupt access to illegal platforms using coordinated technological measures. He advocated for this alongside a public register of licensed operators and an expanded consumer awareness campaign.
Coleman underscored the urgency, saying immediate action is crucial to protect consumers who are currently exposed to illegal operators lacking regulatory safeguards.
"Reducing accessibility immediately advances consumer protection objectives while broader reforms are pursued," he stated. He reiterated that no single measure should be viewed as a complete solution, insisting on an integrative approach that combines enforcement, education, and technological solutions.
At the heart of SABA's advocacy is the commitment to consumer protection in the regulated environment created by parliament. Coleman clarified, "This is not a debate about protecting licensed operators from competition. It is about ensuring that South African consumers receive the protections parliament intended when it created our regulated gambling framework."
