The South African Bookmakers Association (SABA) has called for urgent legislative action to combat illegal offshore gambling, warning that South Africa can no longer afford to debate whether illegal gambling websites should be blocked, but rather how quickly authorities can act.
The association’s call comes after the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) raised concerns over proposals by the National Gambling Board (NGB) to block illegal offshore gambling websites.
While SABA agrees that website blocking must be backed by clear legislation, constitutional safeguards and regulatory oversight, it argues that South Africa’s biggest problem is not the absence of laws prohibiting illegal online gambling, but the inability to enforce them effectively.
“South Africa does not suffer from a lack of laws prohibiting illegal online gambling. It suffers from a lack of laws that enable effective enforcement. The country’s current framework is best described as ‘prohibition without enforcement’,” the association said.
SABA said illegal offshore gambling has grown into a major threat to the country’s economy and consumers.
