Exclusive: Combating Black Market Operations In South Africa And The Fate Of Responsible Gambling

With a sheer amount of work being put lately into sustaining South Africa's booming industry, the leading gambling market in Africa, battling black market operations and problem gambling have become some of the most discussed conference panel topics. 

As SYNOT Games Sales Manager, Annalisa Emelia Samuels described it, 'nobody could have depicted what was to come when igaming started out in Africa, but having seen what it is today, there is an urgent need for protection.'

"I think it is time to pick up the 'responsible gambling' mantra and turn it into strong action", Annalisa told SportsBoom.co.za. 

"From these player protection principles, the KYCs, to tracking deposits from individual accounts, there needs to be the presence of an effective monitoring system because at the absence of it, you can't really drive responsible gambling from a regulator's point of view. You are depending on the risk profiling coming from the operator. That is simply not enough."

COULD THE ILLEGAL GAMBLING SITES TARGETING SOUTH AFRICA BE CURBED? 

Reports made the rounds towards the end of 2025 about the proliferation of offshore gambling sites that have targeted South Africans, over 90 unlicensed platforms with all of them holding foreign registrations that place them beyond local regulatory reach. 

However, Annalisa noted the regulators are already working towards significantly eradicating these. 

"While everyone is doing what has to be done, i think it needs to be stepped up. If you look at it closely, it's really basic in terms of what the requirement is."

"But there is a need to see more elements of it. The complaints coming in, there need to be something efficiently done about them."

"Online illegal sites are always very difficult to control. But now, with the geo-blocking, it can be achieved. From a regulatory perspective, i think the local provincial legislative authorities will work with the financial intelligence interests which are the banks to track deposits going out of customer accounts into these illicit sites," Annalisa explained. 

"Then secondly, they need to prevent transactions into such accounts, in any form [whether local fiat or crypto]. It is a whole thing about trying to legitimize illegal online operations, and trying to ramp up on the regulated online, which could make a very big difference." 

"There's a movement i see, and publicity going on around it by the licensing jurisdictions. And if you look at this, it is not just South Africa. But with the advent of the regulated and the technology being put in place, these sites most likely will be forced out."

WESTERN CAPE FULLY COMMITTED TO RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING

Robin Bennett, Head of Department, Regulatory Compliance at the Western Cape Gambling Racing Board, South Africa when quizzed on the topic re-echoed the thoughts of Annalisa, that work was already in place to ensure the canker is dealt with. 

"The board is actively dealing with illegal operators and this effort cannot be effective without the assistance of the law enforcement officials with which the board has an excellent working relationship with," Bennett told SportsBoom.co.za. 

"In the Western Cape, all licence holders must establish a local company that holds the licence."

"While it is permissible for such licence holder to have foreign shareholders, all shareholders holding more than 5% direct shareholding is probed as part of the licensing process. It is important to note that the licence holder is fully accountable to the board," he clarified further. 

Bennett also noted the Western Cape board is in the process of introducing certain measures aimed at fostering responsible gambling. These proposed amendments to the general rules, according to him, will be applicable to all other provinces. 

"The proposed amendments were published for comments and these comments are currently under review after which the final amendments will be published for implementation," Bennett said. 

"There is a concerted effort by the board to have an enhanced focus on responsible gambling through research, education, awareness and licence holder mandatory requirements, and as such have created and appointed a Responsible Gambling Manager," he concluded.