South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry is soliciting public feedback on a draft version of its National Gambling Amendment Bill.
The proposed bill, approved by the South African Cabinet in December for tabling in Parliament, contains provisions to provide for the legalization and regulation of Internet gambling.
National Gambling Board CEO Thibedi Majake has said that government concerns regarding online and mobile gambling include preventing money laundering, protecting problem gamblers and ensuring appropriate age verification measures.
Submissions are due by Feb. 12.
Currently, Section 11 of the National Gambling Act 2004 prohibits the making available of interactive gambling games to South African residents, Wayne Lurie, a South African attorney specializing in commercial, Internet and Internet gaming-related law, told IGN in December.
Moreover, Section 15 of the Act prohibits the advertising of such services in South Africa.
" . . . Notwithstanding that the National Gambling Act contains the prohibitions mentioned … it also prescribed that a regime to regulate online gambling within South Africa would be tabled by the Minister of Trade and Industry within two years of the Act coming into effect . . . " Lurie said.
Lurie expects the legislation to be enacted in Q1 2007 but did not offer an opinion as to when licenses would be issued.
"The new bill has in the past month or so been introduced to the South African Parliament and the process to make it law has well and truly begun," Lurie said in December. "One would expect to see such law being passed during the first quarter of 2007. It is not yet known how long it will be before the first licenses are issued under the new legislation but one would not expect the National Gambling Board (which will likely issue such licenses) to drag its feet in getting to grips with such task. It is anticipated that, if all goes well, applications for interactive gambling licenses will be capable of submission in the fourth quarter of 2007."
Click here to view a copy of the bill.
Chris Krafcik is the editor of IGamingNews. He lives in St. Louis, Mo.