Bookmakers Urge Licence Checks Before Online Deposits
The South African Bookmakers' Association is urging gamblers to verify operator licences during Responsible Gambling Month in November.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Gambling
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The South African Bookmakers' Association has urged South Africans to verify online gambling operators' licences before depositing money. Illegal offshore operators target the South African market with sophisticated marketing and promotional offers, and an international licence does not authorise them to offer services in the country.
Why it matters
Winnings from unlawful gambling can be declared forfeited to the State under Section 16 of the National Gambling Act, meaning players may lose money they have won. Licensed bookmakers are subject to oversight covering age verification, responsible gambling and player protection, which unlicensed operators do not provide.
Court forfeiture records show more than R3 million in unlawful gambling winnings have been forfeited to the State, with R775,000 in 2025/26 and R2.3 million early in 2026/27. A CGCSA report estimates illegal gambling causes approximately R7.7 billion in annual direct tax losses, but the number of affected players is not disclosed.
The players
South African Bookmakers' Association
The industry body representing licensed bookmakers in South Africa, which issued the call for consumers to verify operator licences.
National Gambling Board
The statutory body that regulates gambling in South Africa and maintains the Verified Gambling Operators Portal for checking licence status.
The details
Consumers can check an operator's licence by scrolling to the bottom of the website's homepage or by searching the National Gambling Board's Verified Gambling Operators Portal or the relevant provincial gambling authority. Illegal operators commonly hold foreign licences from jurisdictions such as Curaçao and Malta, which do not permit them to serve South African customers.
Timeline
2025/26 financial year: approximately R775,000 in illegal gambling winnings forfeited.
Early 2026/27 financial year: a further R2.3 million in illegal winnings forfeited.
November 2026: Responsible Gambling Month licence-check campaign.
Market Landscape
Section 16 of the National Gambling Act allows winnings from unlawful gambling to be forfeited to the State through a High Court order, and the recent forfeitures show this power being applied to players of illegal offshore operators. The cases sit within a licensed sector that generates R10.4 billion in annual direct government revenue and supports more than 42,000 direct jobs.
Before depositing money with an online bettor, players should scroll to the bottom of the operator's homepage to confirm its South African licence details. Winnings from an unlicensed operator may be forfeited to the State, so checking licence status before playing can prevent losing money already won.
The takeaway
Checking an operator's South African licence before depositing is a simple step that protects both your deposit and any winnings. An international licence alone does not make an operator lawful to serve South African players.
Further reading
For more on the rules governing betting in the country, see Gambling coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TechFinancials.
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