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Multinational bookmaker 10bet said its presence in South Africa amid an explosion in online betting provided it with a platform to expand on the continent, which has the world’s youngest population and increasing internet penetration.Michelle Colborne, marketing vice-president at 10bet Africa, said four years after making a foray into South Africa, the business was growing its market share on a yearly basis.“10bet entered the South African market in 2022. South Africa was identified as a mature, well-regulated market with passionate sports fans and significant opportunities for long-term investment,” Colborne said.“South Africa was a natural investment destination due to its sophisticated regulatory environment, strong digital infrastructure and one of the continent’s most passionate sporting audiences. We view South Africa not simply as a market but as a long-term strategic hub for growth within Africa.”Online betting, particularly sports betting, has taken off in South Africa over the past six years as consumers migrated from casinos to the digital space. Like its rivals, 10bet has cashed in on the popularity of key sporting codes in South Africa, roping in some of the country’s biggest sporting icons, Herschelle Gibbs and Doctor Khumalo, as its ambassadors.Bigger rival Hollywoodbets has led the charge in signing up sporting stars and personalities in its ranks, including England and Liverpool legend Michael Owen, Eben Etzebeth, Makazole Mapimpi and Vernon Philander.10bet has also seized on rugby’s popularity, recently announcing a five-year agreement with the iconic Ellis Park Stadium, which will now be known as 10bet Ellis Park.“Our sponsorship investments support professional sport and create opportunities for agencies, event companies, production businesses, media organisations and content creators, while generating additional economic activity around sporting events,” Colborne said.The Treasury has proposed a 20% tax on the online gambling industry to curb harmful gambling. Critics say it will only channel punters to illegal platforms and become an administrative nightmare for the South African Revenue Service.For the 12 months to March 2025, industry data shows the total value of gambling turnover in all gambling modes amounted to R1.5-trillion, including recycled funds (money wagered, won back and wagered again).Other mooted measures to rein in online gambling include a ban on betting advertisements, as was done to the cigarette industry in the 1990s.“We fully support sensible regulation that protects consumers and promotes responsible gambling. However, any policy changes should carefully consider the unintended consequences. Licensed operators invest heavily in compliance, consumer protection, responsible gambling programmes and taxation,” Colborne said.“If advertising by regulated operators is significantly restricted, consumers may increasingly migrate towards unlicensed offshore platforms that operate outside South African laws and contribute nothing to the local economy.“We believe the objective should be to strengthen the regulated market rather than inadvertently driving consumers towards illegal alternatives.”We fully support sensible regulation that protects consumers and promotes responsible gambling. However, any policy changes should carefully consider the unintended consequences.— Michelle Colborne, marketing vice-president at 10bet AfricaThe government also plans a crackdown on illegal online betting platforms that are said to account for 62% of a market on which South Africans spend billions of rand.The National Gambling Board (NGB) has yielded to industry pressure to restrict unregistered online platforms providing betting services to consumers.The NGB has now gone to market looking for service providers to block illegal sites, which industry research shows have attracted about 16-million South Africans and more than R50bn in gross gambling revenue annually.
