South Africa has supporters and non-supporters regarding the online gambling industry. Supporters like parliamentarian Hill-Lewis want to expand the legislation allowing for poker and casino games to be legally available to South African residents. Several South Africans are accessing illegal sites already and cutting down profits for legal entities, including sports betting companies. On July 17, 2015, Hill-Lewis was in the news again as he tried to push for support on his legislative bill. Unfortunately, non-supporters have recently held a discussion on how to make the laws clear to residents and stop illegal gambling on outside online casinos.
Casino locations hosted in other parts of the world are not always blocking South African players even though they do not have permission to operate for SA gamblers. It is confusing to players who believe they are on a legitimate site, but are actually gambling illegally.
The opposition to online gambling is looking for ways to make the current laws more transparent, as well as help gamblers understand which online sites may be legal for them to play in.
Current South African laws allow sports betting and lotto. Sports betting establishments have lost 5% of their client base to illegal gambling sites. One survey shows 2,000 sites are available to South Africans, but they are not legally authorized to operate in SA.
Strategies need to be in place according to one non-supporter of expanding the current gambling laws to allow for more gambling options. It is also believed that a special taskforce needs to be formed to help block illegal sites, make residents more aware, and combat gambling addiction that is on the rise in South Africa. For the government party Hill-Lewis is leading, there does not seem to be a bright future for more revenue made through online gaming sites.