Western Cape Gambling And Racing Board

Introduction

The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB) is a body that controls and regulates gambling and racing within the Western Cape Province. It is there to provide a stable, consistent and effective regulatory environment to inspire public confidence and trust.

The WCGRB ensures the gambling environment is free from corruption and unlawful gambling. Moreover, to ensure betting activities contribute to the economy of the Province in a socially responsible manner.

The WCGRB’s Function

This Board has many functions when it comes to maintaining sustainable business practices. They are accountable for investigating applications for licenses in the gambling and betting industries. Furthermore, they ensure Top standards by performing the following functions:

• Through thorough investigations, only the appropriate persons receive licenses to participate in the industry.
• Ensuring the prescribed requirements are met, and procedures are in place to serve the public fairly and appropriately.
• Constant evaluation ensuring the license holders comply with the undertakings made in their bids as well as other stipulations required by the Board.
• The Board also has to keep up to date with ongoing developments on technological and other levels. This is in order to deliver a high standard as required by the gambling industry.
• Enforce laws that prohibit and control illegal gambling, and offenders prosecuted accordingly.
• Constant audits.
• Internal Training programmes and International conferences to ensure the Board are abreast of the latest developments in the gambling industry.

Online Gambling Laws

Each one of South Africa’s nine provinces has a Gambling and Racing Board. Online casino operators must have licenses issued by one of these boards. Currently, online casinos in South Africa are illegal, specifically games like slots, poker and bingo.

Online sports betting, online horse racing and the business of bookmaking are lawful in South Africa. However, only if the operator holds a provincial bookmakers license(s) or using a fully licensed website.

In August 2010 all online gambling offered through servers located outside of South Africa were banned. The only exceptions are Province licensed Horse Racing and Online Sports Betting. An example of 2 of these legal sportsbooks is Betway South Africa and Sportingbet SA.

The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board Conclusion

The WCGRB is the biggest in South Africa, and the income generated from gambling is reaching astronomical amounts. In 2019 alone, they projected that gambling would generate 30 Billion.