National online gambling tax would driver players to offshore platforms, warns FMF
The FMF warns a proposed 20% national tax on online gambling will push players to offshore platforms, reducing government revenue.Summary
The Free Market Foundation (FMF) is urging National Treasury to reconsider its proposal for a 20% national tax on online gambling. The FMF argues that this tax will incentivize consumers to use offshore online casinos, which already handle approximately 62% of all online gambling activity. Ayanda Zulu, FMF policy officer, points out the flawed assumption that such a tax can be effectively enforced on offshore platforms without any existing infrastructure. Furthermore, Zulu highlights that online casinos currently operate in a legal grey area due to the non-promulgation of the National Gambling Amendment Act of 2008. The proposed tax would be levied *in addition* to existing provincial taxes, creating a cumulative burden on the legal industry and potentially leading to job losses.
(Source：Ewn)