Is the gambling website you’re using legal? Here’s how to check
South Africans are urged to check online bookmakers for South African provincial licences before depositing, as illegal offshore sites pose risks including forfeited winnings.Summary
The South African Bookmakers’ Association (Saba) is using Responsible Gambling Month to warn that many South Africans bet on illegal offshore websites that appear legitimate, accept rands and display foreign licences such as those from Curaçao or Malta. Saba CEO Sean Coleman explains that only a South African provincial bookmaker licence authorises an operator to offer gambling services locally, and foreign licences do not count. Under section 16 of the National Gambling Act, winnings from unlawful gambling can be forfeited to the state by High Court order, with more than R3 million reportedly forfeited so far. Licensed operators are subject to oversight on age verification, responsible gambling, player protection and complaints, and contribute to tax and social programmes, while illegal operators leave consumers with little recourse. Saba advises three checks before depositing: scroll to the bottom of the homepage to find the registered name of the South African licence holder, its bookmaker licence details and the issuing provincial authority; verify the licence with the relevant provincial gambling authority or the National Gambling Board’s Verified Gambling Operators Portal; and if in doubt, do not deposit, since a professional-looking site, a .co.za domain or rand transactions do not guarantee legitimacy.
(Source：The Citizen)