South Africa releases the Interactive Gambling Tax Bill 2008

April 26, 2009

In 2006 the National Gambling Board in South Africa released a report outlining the necessity for legalizing online gambling in South Africa; highlighting the fact that land-based gambling and online sports betting were already existent. In response the South African government tripled their efforts to get the ball rolling on this project and to ensure that effective regulations (especially in the form of control systems geared at identifying problem gambling, money laundering, and other criminal activities) were put in place.

Now two years later online gambling is one step away from being legalized in South Africa and the government is now on the verge of tapping into the millions of dollars in tax revenue the industry generates.

South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Trevor Manuel, has released for comment the Interactive Gambling Tax Bill, a special tax law on interactive gambling, which will impose a 6% tax on gross gambling revenue from internet gambling.

The tax is provided for in the National Gambling Amendment Bill, an amendment to the National Gambling Act, which did not provide for legalized interactive gambling. The amendment, therefore, allows for online gambling, which will be strictly regulated and monitored.

Several gambling operations in South Africa are waiting in the wings for the passing of the Interactive Gambling Tax Bill. One such operation is Betting World, a sportsbetting site, which intends to add online Poker to its gambling offering. Other smaller gambling sites will also benefit from the anticipated influx of new Players who will now take comfort in knowing that they can bet online without any hassles.

The Interactive Gambling Tax Bill will be tabled in Parliament during the first half of 2009. Comments on the legislative proposals must be sent to the Treasury before March 1, 2009.

The full text of the Bill can be found on the Treasury’s website.

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