Minimum age for gambling

Gambling is a highly regulated industry in South Africa, and it is controlled using South African gambling laws. The National Gambling Board of South Africa is charged with the duty of protecting younger demographics using the law. Sadly, the rise of illegal gambling services has made it difficult for the government to stop the spread of gambling among underage South Africans.

For most people, online gambling is a harmless way of spending leisure time but underaged persons sometimes gain access to online gambling sites. It is also accepted across all societies that young people should not be allowed to gamble. The rise of online gambling has brought about its problems, which include the exposure of young individuals to the online gambling world. Both regulatory authorities and online gambling sites are working hard to prevent underage online gambling.

In this article, we will discuss the gambling laws surrounding online gambling and the minimum age gambling South Africa. We will also cover the National Gambling Act and how it regulates the participation of underaged individuals in gambling activity. South Africa gambling laws control the online gambling industry in the country and ensure that casinos use safeguards that keep out young individuals. Here is everything you need to know about online gambling legal laws in South Africa.

By Adiela de Bruyn - Updated 2024/02/08 - Estimated reading time: 10 minutes.

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Minimum age for gambling
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The Rise Of Online Gambling

Gambling in South Africa has been transformed by the rapid growth and spread of the internet. Internet gambling has made it easier for players to access their favourite gambling services, including slot machines, horse racing, online casinos, and the national lottery. By 2015, over half of South African citizens had access to the Internet with a good portion of these individuals engaging in legal and illegal gaming operations.

Gambling laws in South Africa have been amended to accommodate the peculiarities of gaming online. The Gambling Act was modified in 2008 to regulate the actions of online casinos that broke gambling laws in South Africa. Furthermore, the South African government did not follow the footsteps of other countries by banning gambling in South Africa. The government also did not tax player's winnings, as only gambling company revenue is taxed. Instead, the gambling laws in South Africa remain a grey area when online gaming is concerned.

Payment services have also become easier to use which means that gamblers can seamlessly place bets on horse races, gamble at online casinos, and use money for other gambling activities. As more people become much more comfortable with gaming, it becomes easier for South Africans to pick up problem gambling habits. Gambling laws in South Africa mandate the provision of responsible gaming resources for players at every casino.

As more people become familiar with making online transactions, they have become more comfortable with gaming online. And, given that more than a third of South Africa's internet users are under the age of thirty, it is inevitable that young people are leading this growth in online casino gambling. This has led to concerns about underage South Africans accessing gambling sites online.

Although established online casinos try to prevent illegal gambling at their casinos, a determined person will find a way to gamble. The government uses the law to force gambling companies to spend money on anti-teenage gambling campaigns. These companies are also expected to follow all the rules that the gambling laws in South Africa contain.

Gambling in South Africa is projected to keep growing as more online casino websites spring up to service players. Some of the less reputable sites rely wholly on the information that the player gives them. They do not require ID verification checks to ensure the person using the site is old enough to gamble. This has led to situations in which young people have used credit cards stolen from parents or other relatives to play casino games and other gambling activities. The underaged gamblers also created casino accounts to continue their online gambling habits.

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Underage Gambling

No precise figures are available on the extent to which underage South Africans are gambling online. A report in 2011 by the South African Gambling Review Commission found that there was evidence of underage gambling. In some parts of the country, the act was linked to criminal elements, while in others, young people were gambling as a means to raise money for school fees and other necessities.

This evidence did not relate specifically to online gambling. One indication of a problem can be found in the composition of funds held in a special Treasury-controlled trust account. This account was set up by the National Gambling Act of 2004 to hold funds seized from illegal gaming. It is estimated that most of the money held in the account has been forfeited by underage online gamblers.

The legal age where people are allowed to gamble online in South Africa is 18 years old. This law applies to all gambling activities in the country, including lotto, casino, daily fantasy, and sports betting. Therefore, gambling operators must verify the age of their new members using a valid means of ID such as a driver's licence or an international passport.

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Online Casinos And Underage Gambling

Underage online gambling is a potential threat to the reputation of the South African online casino industry and the social fabric of the country. This is why reputable online casinos in South Africa take steps to prevent underage gambling. It is easy for online casinos to target underage persons in South Africa because of the internet but

By encouraging the use of internationally recognised secure deposit and withdrawal methods, online casinos are making it much harder for young people to use their websites. The National Gambling Board is also working with credit card companies to encourage them to do more to spot underage use of their financial systems. This will help keep minors away from addictive casino games like slots.

In addition, online casinos will often require players to provide identification to demonstrate that they are over 18. Failure to provide adequate ID will result in a player's account being locked immediately. That can be frustrating for legitimate online gamblers caught up in the procedures, but it is necessary to ensure that young South Africans are not gambling illegally.

To comfortably play your favourite games at a casino, you must ensure that you are of legal age. South African players must verify their accounts before they are allowed to fund their accounts. The country is also strict on the law, as violating companies will be heavily fined if caught. Players and gaming companies must keep themselves updated with the provincial laws that guide gambling online.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Gambling Age in South Africa

Is gambling allowed in South Africa?

Yes, it is legal for South Africans to play games online. The only people that are legally exempted from gaming are underage individuals.

Is online gaming legal in South Africa?

Yes, online gaming is legal in the country and there are no laws strictly prohibiting it. Players can access any of their favourite gaming websites as long as they are of legal age. Online gaming is a legal grey area because of the loose regulations compared to land-based casinos.

What is the minimum gaming age in the Country?

The minimum age is 18 for all gaming activities. Players must ensure that they are 18 before using any of these gaming services and operators are required to verify the age of every player to remove underage users.

What does the Gambling Act of 2008 change in South Africa?

This act created a framework for South Africa to regulate online casinos. The country discovered that online gaming entities routinely broke the laws guiding online casinos. Although this act does not fully address the problem, it allows South Africa to recognise the scope of the problem and put their best foot forward in tackling it.

What services allow people to send money to online casinos in the country?

There are different services available to gamblers in the country. These include bank transfers, e-wallets (Neteller and Skrill), and debit/credit cards.

Are responsible gaming features available at South African casinos?

Yes, all gaming establishments are mandated by South African law to provide responsible gaming for their users.

Author: Adiela de Bruyn

Adiela de Bruyn

Adiela de Bruyn, our founder, launched this site in 2016. Since then, she's written over 100 pages filled with crucial info to enhance your gaming experience. Her goal? To provide you with the best, most reliable online casino knowledge.

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Article published 2021/07/05