National Assembly Committee Considers Remote Gambling Bill

Posted 04 November 2025 Written by Acts Online
Category Parliament

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The National Assembly’s Trade, Industry & Competition Committee has begun considering the merits of preparing a committee Bill to regulate remote gambling and mitigate related societal risks.

In terms of the National Gambling Act, No. 7 of 2004, interactive and remote gambling remains prohibited. However, on 4 November 2025, the committee received a briefing from the Parliamentary Constitutional & Legal Services Office regarding the procedures for drafting a committee Bill to address the current regulatory vacuum. This process follows a memorandum submitted by Toby Chance, MP, which noted that while the National Gambling Amendment Act, No. 10 of 2008 contains provisions for online gambling, these sections have not yet been brought into operation.

The committee is currently reviewing the status of the National Gambling Amendment Bill of 2018, which was recently referred to a mediation committee to resolve differences between the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. While the 2018 Bill addresses administrative and governance structures, it does not explicitly regulate the technical or social aspects of remote gambling, leaving the industry largely unregulated despite the 2004 statutory ban.

The proposed legislative process may incorporate elements from a lapsed private member’s Remote Gambling Bill, for which an explanatory summary was gazetted in November 2025. The committee has requested a formal briefing from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to address the following issues:

  • The continued lack of punter protection resulting from the 2004 prohibition;
  • The failure to operationalise the National Gambling Amendment Act, No. 10 of 2008;
  • The findings of the 2011 Gambling Review Commission report which recommended the regulation of interactive gambling; and
  • The procedural requirements for re-tabling or revising previous legislative attempts to address remote gaming.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No immediate compliance change; however, legal professionals in the gaming and technology sectors should monitor the committee’s decision on whether to proceed with a formal draft Bill to advise on future licensing requirements.
  • For your business: Operators currently providing remote gambling services or related technology must prepare for a potential shift from the current prohibitionist stance to a national regulatory and licensing framework that may impose new tax and compliance burdens.
  • For your clients: Clients participating in online gambling currently lack the statutory protections intended by the 2008 Amendment Act; a new Bill would likely introduce mandatory responsible gambling protocols, age verification requirements, and formal dispute resolution mechanisms.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/remote-gambling-could-a-national-assembly-committee-bill-address-the-issues

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