South Africa Online Gambling Goes From Bad To Worse
Have you seen the latest news from your friends at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)? The Department that seems to be on a mission to, in effect wipe online casino action off the face of the continent? As you probably know, over the years the DTI has continued to throw up roadblock after roadblock each and every time the legalization of online casino action was even remotely being considered as part of the legislative process. Some would even say there would seem to some sort of agenda there?
Anyway, perhaps you won’t be surprised to learn of the latest antics by the DTI. This time around, the Department of Trade and Industry introduced its own Bill. This Bill bears the innocent sounding name of National Gambling Amendment Bill. But don’t be fooled by the name.
Take a look at what’s inside the proposed National Gambling Amendment. Start with what could be viewed as nothing more than a power grab. The DTI Bill seeks to reposition the National Gambling Board as the National Gambling Regulator. But wait, there’s more to this Bill that you will want to understand.
The National Gambling Amendment will mandate the monitoring of what the Bill refers to as socio economic patterns of gambling activity. Interestingly, take note of the fact that the language in the Bill referencing this monitoring does not in fact explain the purpose or even the need of such monitoring.
But perhaps the most egregious language found in the National Gambling Amendment is that wording that in no uncertain terms looks to be ‘hands in your pocket’ money grab. Are you ready for this one? The DTI is seeking legislative approval to in essence confiscate any and all winnings from what it defines as illegal online gambling sites. In fact, the language in National Gambling Amendment is fairly plain and easy to decipher. This confiscatory language states that so-called illegal winnings would automatically be forfeited to the new Gambling Regulator.
Did you get that last part there, the section about automatically forfeited? At any other place and time, this would clearly be seen as an attempt by Big Brother to consolidate power and authority. Which brings up what could be the most important question for the South African legislature in years. Will South African legislators give in to this sort of action by the DTI?
As you can plainly see, this is a rather important moment in history for South Africa, for online casino action and perhaps even for South African citizens in general. After all, giving in to the DTI at this point could be but the beginning of a giant step backwards.