90 Illegal Gambling Sites Exposed, But Only 39 Arrests in 5 Years: What's Going On?

Over the past few weeks, South Africa's online gambling landscape has once again made headlines. As a platform focused on helping players navigate the legal and safe online casino space in South Africa, we believe it's crucial to highlight what's happening, and more importantly, why it matters to you.

At the centre of the latest controversy is a statement from Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau. According to Tau, the National Gambling Board (NGB) has identified at least 90 illegal gambling websites operating in South Africa. These are online casinos and betting platforms that do not hold a valid licence under South African law but are still accessible to the public, often without any warning or restriction.

Even more worrying? Despite the growing number of these unlicensed sites, enforcement appears to be practically non-existent. In a separate parliamentary reply, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu revealed that just 39 arrests related to illegal online gambling were made over the last five years. That's less than 8 per year, in a country of over 60 million people, with thousands of users engaging in online gambling daily.

How Do Illegal Gambling Sites Operate in South Africa?

While traditional land-based gambling is tightly controlled in South Africa, the online space is much murkier. Under the National Gambling Act of 2004, only online sports betting and horse racing are legally permitted, and even those must be offered by licensed operators under provincial regulatory bodies. However, offshore operators, often licensed in jurisdictions like Malta, Curaçao or Cyprus, target South African players with full-featured online casinos, including slots, table games, and live dealer titles.

These sites often appear legitimate. They accept South African Rand (ZAR), offer local payment options like SiD Secure EFT and Ozow, and even run localised advertising on social media. To the average user, there's nothing to suggest these platforms are operating outside the law. And because they are hosted overseas, South African authorities have a hard time shutting them down.

What the Government Is Doing, And Why It's Not Enough

According to Minister Tau, the NGB has allocated R596,000 (roughly $32,000 USD) for enforcement efforts related to these 90 illegal gambling sites. That money is supposed to cover investigations, compliance efforts, and technology partnerships to detect and track unlicensed platforms. But there's a major catch, none of these sites have been removed from Google search results, and many continue to rank on the first page for search terms like “online casino South Africa” or “real money slots SA.”

While the NGB has engaged with Google South Africa and other tech platforms, there's been little success in having these illegal operators de-listed or blocked. The response so far has been reactive at best, and the numbers back it up, just 39 arrests in five years speaks volumes about the lack of meaningful enforcement.

Why This Is a Problem for Players Like Us

We know how tempting it is to sign up at an international site with flashy bonuses and fast withdrawals. We've all seen the ads. But when you play on an unlicensed site, you lose access to the protections offered under South African law. That includes:

• Verified fairness and game integrity audits
• Responsible gambling tools like self-exclusion or betting limits
• Guaranteed payouts in the event of a dispute
• Recourse through a licensed provincial gambling board

In contrast, if something goes wrong at an illegal site, like frozen funds, unfair game mechanics, or misleading promotions, there's no local authority you can turn to. You're entirely at the mercy of a company operating offshore, with no legal obligation to South African consumers.

Who's Responsible for Enforcement?

South Africa's gambling ecosystem is complex, with nine provincial licensing authorities and the National Gambling Board (NGB) sharing oversight. In theory, this should create a strong network of regulation. But in practice, it creates confusion. Who's in charge of shutting down an illegal casino? Is it SAPS? The NGB? Provincial boards? Or the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (which oversees internet providers)?

This lack of coordination is part of the reason enforcement has been so weak. According to reports, most of the 39 arrests over the past five years stemmed from public tip-offs or police stings at illegal land-based venues, not from actual investigations into online casino operations.

What Needs to Change?

If South Africa wants to truly protect players and regain control of its online gambling space, we believe three things need to happen:

1. Clear, national regulation of online casinos, rather than just sports betting. The current legal grey area benefits offshore operators and leaves players exposed.
2. Greater collaboration between regulators, ISPs, and search engines to block access to illegal platforms or delist them from local search results.
3. Stronger penalties and more arrests, not of players, but of those operating or facilitating unlicensed platforms within South Africa.

Our Take

We're firm believers in responsible, safe, and legal online gambling. As more and more South Africans turn to the internet to play casino games or place bets, it's critical that our government keeps up, not just with laws, but with meaningful action. At the same time, players deserve better education on what is (and isn't) legal, and how to check whether a site is licensed locally.

We'll continue to monitor this situation closely, and we'll keep you updated here on our site. In the meantime, we encourage you to check our list of licensed online casinos for platforms that put your safety first, and operate within the bounds of South African law.

The future of online gambling in South Africa is being shaped right now. Let's make sure it's a future that protects players, supports local regulation, and shuts the door on shady offshore operations once and for all.