iGaming Business – South African officials have published a draft version of an online gambling bill ahead of the country’s expected legalisation of internet gaming. The Mondaq.com website reports that although there is unlikely to be swift legalisation of online gambling in South Africa, the introduction of the draft Remote Gambling Bill of 2014 is a step forward.
The draft legislation is available to the public for review and comment for 30 days from its publication date of April 25.
The bill includes a number of key points such as the requirement for South African internet gaming providers to hold a remote gambling licence in order offer online gaming services in the country.
Applications for such licences would be submitted to provincial licensing authorities and issued by the National Gambling Board South African regulatory body.
The draft legislation also states that remote gambling operators must keep “some part of the remote gambling equipment” within the province in which the application was made.
In addition, remote gambling would be permitted on, but not limited to, virtual gambling games, person-to-person gambling, equal chance gambling, and casino games, bingo and sports betting.
Players outside of South Africa would be permitted to play on a licensed website once registered as a player.
Each province of the country will be responsible for imposing a tax rate on licensed operators, with 70% of this tax revenue being distributed to the provincial revenue fund and 30% to the national revenue fund.
Remote gambling operators will not be permitted to extend credit to players for the purpose of taking part in remote gambling.
