South Africa is known for having some spectacular brick and mortar casinos, including the Sun City Casino and the massive GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World. Which means that once again we have a location where real world casinos are at odds with online casinos. Generally brick and mortar casinos put a lot of pressure on the government for regulations against online gambling so that they can protect their own investments and the tourist trade. So, online gambling regulations are designed less to protect the individual, though that’s what the government will say, and more to protect the existing brick and mortar casinos.
Which is why you’ll see situations like the one currently falling into place in South Africa where gambling at a brick and mortar casino is perfectly legal, but online gambling suddenly is not. So South Africans will no longer be able to gamble in the comfort of their home. The Gautang Gambling Board has now decided that it is illegal for those in South Africa to gamble using digital devices or products. So, it is illegal for an individual to gamble online in South Africa. It is illegal for an online casino to offer services in South Africa. And even more, the ban makes the actual internet service provider accountable for providing the banned services. And of course financial institutions are breaking the law if they process payments to casinos or winnings from online casinos. Break the law? Even by gambling in your home? Well, you could receive a R10 million fine or ten years in jail. Or both.
Oh, gamble at one of the real world casinos in South Africa and you could receive free drinks.