The Gauteng Provincial Government is preparing to reshape how online betting is managed in the province, with Finance MEC Lebogang Maile outlining the plan during his 2026/27 Budget Speech.
He revealed that the government aims to raise R8.2 billion in revenue over the next two years, but current income streams, such as gambling taxes, motor vehicle licenses, patient fees, and treasury interest, are not delivering enough.
To close the gap, Maile announced a “revenue enhancement strategy,” which places online betting regulation at its center.
“We are in the process of reviewing and amending the Gauteng Gambling Bill to allow us to regulate online betting,” the Finance MEC explained during his 2026/2027 Budget Speech presentation.
Maile also pointed out that Gauteng has already lost hundreds of millions between 2019 and 2025 because of weak provincial frameworks for online gambling. February estimates show that the province has missed out on roughly R282 million in gross revenues due to regulatory gaps.
“MEC Maile has admitted that this loss of revenue has negatively impacted the province’s capacity to finance key public service delivery projects,” the DA said at the time.
Gauteng inspired by other provinces
Maile pointed to examples outside Gauteng, noting that provinces like Mpumalanga and the Western Cape have already rolled out similar regulations and seen billions in revenue flow from online gambling.
The success elsewhere is shaping Gauteng’s own approach as it looks to tighten its framework.
Across South Africa, online sports betting has become dominant in the gambling industry. It now makes up about 70% of total gambling revenue, nearly three times more than traditional casinos.
The ease of playing games has led to a massive increase in growth, with the National Gambling Board reporting that South Africans staked R1.5 trillion between 2024 and 2025 alone. Gauteng’s leaders see this rise as proof that stronger regulation could lead to greater revenue for the province.
NGB continues push for gambling ban
The NGB has kept up its campaign against online gambling, stressing that digital casino-style games remain illegal in South Africa.
Operators have tried to work around the law by offering roulette, slots, and blackjack online, claiming that players are simply “betting” on outcomes. But the National Gambling Act is clear: any gambling game played through an electronic agent over the internet is considered an interactive game, and those are unlawful unless offered inside licensed casinos.
A recent Supreme Court of Appeal ruling made that position clearer, finding it illegal for bookmakers in Gauteng to provide fixed-odds bets on roulette without a casino license. That decision effectively shut down the loophole operators had been using.
Still, provinces like the Western Cape and Mpumalanga have allowed bookmakers to use their sports betting and bookmaking licenses to run online casino-style games. Those rules have boosted revenues, with the DA noting that the Western Cape now collects 31% of gross gambling revenues nationwide, followed closely by Mpumalanga at 30%.
The crackdown by the NGB comes as Gauteng reviews its own regulations as part of a wider revenue strategy
Source: My Broadband
Chidubem Ovute
www.igamingtoday.com
