South African Minister Issues Warning for Online Gambling

South Africa deliberated long and hard about regulating and legalizing online gambling and decided against the idea. The country even sent a group of officials to Antigua and Barbuda to observe the system the tiny island nation has in place.

Now Rob Davies who is the South African Minister of Trade and Industry has issued a statement that warns the consumer of online gambling products that playing games on the internet for real money is illegal and should be avoided. The Minister also said that there is the possibility that banks may ask questions about winning from online gambling sources.
A recent review by the Gambling Review Commission said the past time should be allowed and the operators should be given licenses but as the law stands to date internet wagering is still illegal in South Africa.

Davies continued, "If you're a South African and you participate in online gambling and you win, your winnings are the proceeds of an illegal activity," A ruling by the Northern Gauteng High Court that made it illegal for online gambling sites to offer their services in South Africa.
He pointed out that, "Unless or until we take a decision that we run a license and in what form and what way - I think it will be a subject of a massive debate if we do indeed decide to go this route. I think everyone needs to know that they must not engage in this activity."
The minister in his address said he was trying to protect the South African consumer. "Among ordinary people, gambling is promoted as a life-changing possibility, including the Lotto ... when in fact anyone that goes in with that presumption is going to be sadly disappointed.” adding, "If you want to play these games, you must be prepared to take the entertainment value. If that's entertainment, and you must be prepared to lose, because the only consistent winnings are [for] the people who run the operations,"