Is online gambling legal in South Africa?

1. 1National Gambling Board - FAQ page
2. 2Western Cape Gambling and Racing Act 4 of 1996 as amended to Act 8 of 2013 (WCGRB-hosted consolidation)
3. 3Portapa (Pty) Ltd t/a Supabets and Others v Casino Association of South Africa and Another [2025] ZASCA 158 (21 October 2025), SAFLII
4. 4National Gambling Act 7 of 2004, as published in Government Gazette 26670 of 12 August 2004 (NGB-hosted PDF)
5. 5Lotteries Act 57 of 1997 (gov.za PDF, 1997 text)

Gambling with crypto: Not regulated.

• Minimum age: 18. A bet is valid only if taken from someone 18 or older; sites must warn that under-18s may not gamble ↗

You must be 18 to gamble online in South Africa, for online casino, sports betting and lottery alike.

• Tax on winnings: None. Winnings from gambling authorised in South Africa are disregarded for capital gains tax and nothing is withheld ↗

Winnings from gambling that is lawful in South Africa, such as licensed betting, the National Lottery and land-based casinos, are not taxed for an individual, and nobody withholds tax on them. Winnings from offshore or unlicensed sites are not covered by that rule and can count as a taxable capital gain. SARS does not say how it treats someone who gambles as a trade. A 15% withholding tax on winnings over R25,000 was announced in 2011 but never introduced.

Rate: 0% on winnings from gambling authorised in South Africa

~345 bookmaker licence holders (shops and online) in South Africa, as of 30 Oct 2026.

Always verify a casino holds a valid National Gambling Board (NGB) + provincial boards licence before depositing. Check the official register before signing up.

The official register of licensed sitesNational Gambling Board (NGB) + provincial boards's website

Prominent operators in South Africa

If a site isn't on the regulator's licensee register, ask the regulator before you play: an unlisted site is usually not licensed here (a register can lag behind a new licence). An unlicensed site is outside the regulator's supervision, so you cannot complain to the regulator about it.

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  Verify the Provincial Licence

  Check the website for the licensing authority's name (e.g. 'Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board') and the operator's registration number. The NGB's 'Verified Operators' list prints names, licence types and numbers but no domains, so match on the company name.

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  Check for Responsible Gambling Information

  Western Cape bookmakers must show on every website page the operator's name and registration number, confirmation of licensing by the WCGRB, an under-18 warning, and a reference to the NRGP and its counselling line 0800 006 008.

Official changes that affect players, newest first, each with the document it comes from. A change marked not yet in our report is confirmed in the official text but not yet worked into our research report and the answers on this page.

Our daily watch reads the official publishers we follow for South Africa. A change is listed once it has been checked against the official document, by a person or, where marked, by our automated check. Dates are the official dates, not the day we found the change.

• Self-exclusion: National register. Lifting it is considered only after six months and proof of counselling ↗
• Deposit and loss limits: None required. Neither the National Gambling Act nor the Western Cape rules require them ↗
• Counselling line: 0800 006 008. Toll-free responsible gambling line shown on licensed Western Cape sites ↗

1. 1

   1. Contact the Licensed Operator Directly

   The first step is to attempt to resolve the dispute (e.g., regarding a payout, bet settlement, or account closure) directly with the customer support of the licensed betting company. Western Cape bookmakers must publish website terms that refer to a dispute resolution procedure.

2. 2

   2. File a Formal Complaint with the Provincial Licensing Authority (PLA)

   If the issue cannot be resolved with the operator, you can complain directly to the provincial licensing authority that licensed it (in the Western Cape, regulation 31(2)). The NGB says to escalate to it only if the provincial board does not assist. Where a winnings dispute cannot be resolved, a Western Cape operator must tell you it will refer the dispute to the Board and do so within 48 hours.

3. 3

   3. Legal Action

   In the Western Cape a party can petition the Board for a hearing within 14 days of its written resolution, and a final order of the Board can be made an order of court. No independent ombud or arbitration scheme was found.

• Myth

  All online gambling is illegal in South Africa.
  Reality

  This is incorrect. Online sports betting and horse race betting are legal and regulated, provided the operator holds a bookmaker licence from a South African provincial licensing authority. Online casino games (slots, roulette), poker and bingo are illegal.

• Myth

  My gambling winnings will be taxed.
  Reality

  For an individual, winnings from gambling that is lawful in South Africa are disregarded for capital gains tax (Eighth Schedule, para 60), and nobody withholds tax on them. Winnings from offshore or unlicensed gambling are not covered by that rule. SARS publications do not say how a person who gambles as a trade is taxed.

• Myth

  It's safe to play on international sites with a European licence.
  Reality

  Online casino play is illegal in South Africa whatever licence the operator holds, and online betting is lawful only with a provincially licensed South African bookmaker. The NGB tells players that South Africans cannot gamble with international companies from within the Republic. Winnings from unlawful gambling that an operator is prevented from paying must be remitted to the NGB, which applies to the High Court for forfeiture.