South Africa’s National Gambling Board (NGB) has begun looking for a specialist technology provider to help identify, monitor and block illegal gambling websites targeting local consumers, marking a further step in its campaign against unlicensed online gambling.
The regulator issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) on June 30, inviting qualified companies to propose systems capable of detecting unlawful gambling activity, gathering intelligence on operators and supporting enforcement efforts. Interested parties will attend a virtual briefing on July 15 before Expressions of Interest close on August 7 under reference 01/2026_ED.
The procurement represents the first stage of a wider process that will later move to a formal Request for Proposals or tender.
Regulator Seeks Monitoring and Intelligence Platform
According to the EOI, the selected provider will monitor online gambling websites aimed at South African consumers while identifying each operator’s country of origin, licence status and ownership details. The information collected will be supplied to the regulator to assist investigations by law enforcement agencies.
The provider will also be responsible for blocking illegal gambling websites and monitoring them continuously so they can be blocked again if they reappear under new domains or internet addresses.
Explaining the project’s purpose, the procurement document states: “The NGB wishes to find a service provider who will block these websites and provide data intelligence on these operators for further enforcement actions.”
The regulator said offshore gambling operators continue to exploit technology and jurisdictional gaps to offer services to South African consumers without holding local licences.
The document also states: “South Africa is struggling to enforce against illegal interactive gambling offering gambling activities to South Africans without a licence.”
According to the regulator, enforcement remains difficult because many operators are based outside South Africa, limiting the immediate reach of domestic authorities.
Initiative Forms Part of Wider Enforcement Efforts
The NGB said illegal gambling has expanded across online and land-based channels, with operators increasingly using online platforms, digital wallets, cryptocurrency transactions and cross-border structures to avoid regulatory oversight. It also warned that illegal operators create unfair competition for licensed businesses while exposing consumers to greater risks.
The regulator said the National Gambling Act prohibits unauthorised interactive gambling and noted that no legislation has legalised online interactive gambling in South Africa.
The successful bidder must explain how its solution would operate locally, outline implementation methods, identify required partnerships and approvals, and benchmark its approach against similar initiatives in other jurisdictions.
The NGB said intelligence gathered through the monitoring platform will be shared with law enforcement agencies to support investigations and court proceedings against illegal operators.
The procurement follows several regulatory initiatives during 2026, including the launch of the Verified Gambling Operators portal and consumer warnings about illegal gambling websites and counterfeit betting applications before the FIFA World Cup.
The initiative also follows parliamentary discussions in which NGB chief executive Lungile Dukwana identified offshore gambling, online advertising and regulatory gaps as issues under review.
Source:
“South Africa seeks partner to block illegal gambling sites”, sigma.world, Jul 6, 2026
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