The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB) has started gathering public feedback on proposed amendments to the province’s gambling laws, with a new tax on casino relocations forming a central part of the draft legislation.
The proposed economic opportunity tax would apply to casinos that choose to leave their current locations and establish operations elsewhere in the Western Cape where they expect stronger commercial returns. The measure would require affected operators to pay the additional fee before receiving approval for the relocation.
Liezel Hartman, WCGRB manager of legal services, classified the proposal as a money bill. The planned tax would allow the provincial government to increase the bid fee linked to casino relocation applications.
The public consultation period gives residents and industry participants until July 19 to provide comments on the proposed amendments.
Proposed Changes Address Casino Movement Within Province
The draft bill focuses on the financial impact of casino relocations and introduces a mechanism aimed at capturing additional value when operators move to more profitable areas.
Under the proposal, a casino would need to meet the new financial requirement before completing a relocation process. The WCGRB opened the consultation to allow public input before any legislative changes are considered.
The board’s announcement also included clarification on South Africa’s current approach to online gambling activity.
WCGRB Separates Legal Betting From Prohibited Gambling
The WCGRB confirmed that online betting is permitted in South Africa and regulated through provincial authorities. Online gambling remains prohibited across the country.
WCGRB chief executive Primo Abrahams said national government officials are currently considering how online gambling could be regulated in the future, while provincial regulators continue overseeing licensed betting operators and observing developments in the online betting market.
Abrahams said consumer behaviour has changed, with some betting activity previously connected to illegal platforms moving toward regulated services. He also noted that online betting provides access for individuals who may not live close to physical casino locations.
The clarification comes as authorities continue addressing different forms of online gambling activity and the regulatory responsibilities attached to each category.
Broader Enforcement Efforts Continue
While the Western Cape amendments focus on casino operations within the province, South Africa’s National Gambling Board (NGB) is separately working on measures to identify and block illegal gambling websites.
The NGB issued an Expression of Interest on June 30 seeking a technology provider capable of monitoring websites aimed at South African consumers, identifying operator details and supporting enforcement investigations.
The planned system would collect information such as operators’ country of origin, licensing status and ownership details. It would also assist with blocking illegal websites and detecting when those platforms return through new domains or internet addresses.
The NGB process remains separate from the Western Cape legislative review, which is currently focused on proposed amendments to provincial gambling rules. The WCGRB’s public comment period allows stakeholders to provide feedback on the casino relocation tax proposal before further decisions are made.
Source:
“Western Cape opens public comment period on draft gambling law amendments”, gamingintelligence.com, Jul 15, 2026
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