Johannesburg — According to the Gauteng Gambling Board which has fought a long-running battle with online casinos, it is now illegal to gamble using digital products inside South Africa.
That's after a North Gauteng High Court judgement on the jurisdiction of online gambling transactions in the country which was handed down on August 20th by Judge NB Tuchten.
The effect of this decision means both Internet operators who offer online gambling to South African residents for gain, and a player or punter who takes part in online betting, are guilty of breaking the law.
Furthermore, the ruling also makes Internet service providers accountable for the services and targets band and financial institutions that process the winners' payments and betting transactions.
According to Gauteng Gambling Board head of legal services, Lucky Lukhwareni, online casinos are now up for prosecution.
"That's why we approached the media to alert them of the judgement which makes online casino operations illegal, and if they continue we will have them arrested and fight for conviction."
Those entities that advertise or facilitate the advertisement of online gambling including radio and television stations, print media, and outdoor advertising agencies will also face the law.
The Gauteng Gambling Board says it will pursue any person or organisation which contravene the gambling legislation.
Persons who are prosecuted and found guilty of breach or contravention of the gambling legislation could receive a fine of R10 million or ten years in jail or both.
No-one was available to respond to the ruling at Piggs' Peak Online and an auto-reply machine repeatedly asked for the user's ID number.
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It seems like you guys are going back to the future, what's up with the ANC these days? When I bailed out of SA in '98 I was uncertain that I had made the right decision now I look back with relief. All I ever read about SA now is the ANC trying to close ranks, close doors, and prevent ordinary people from doing what they want, what's with that? Suppress the media, ban gambling, court orders against strikers, CEO's of government organisations being given the boot left right and centre. I though the ANC were a liberation movement not an oppression movement. I suppose it's a case of one only knowing what one knows. Good luck with reigning in these megalomaniacs who want to tell you what to say think and do, don't let it happen folks, freedom is easily lost but really hard to get back, don;t let a bunch of scared old men take your freedoms away to hide their failings!
I am so disappointed with this law of banning online poker. I mean how many people were doing this for a living as there are no jobs available in this country.
But besides that I know a few people who are bed-ridden or have had their limbs removed who are unable to go to a normal casino that were playing online poker or casino. Quite frankly I think it was a bad ruling to make. We earn our own money we pay our taxes and we still have laws like this to take away our entertainment too!!
Online gambling is not only convenient but totally safe as well.
Why was sports online gambling not banned as well? Is it because our government is wanting a piece of the earnings? To all you casino people (Piggs, SilverSands etc) maybe you should offer to give a percentage of our takings to our government. Something to think about...but please just get back online.