The South African government’s attempts to legalize and license online gambling in the country seems to have a few difficulties in what authorities are calling their lack of insight in developing their ‘IT’ skills. Even after an assignment was sent to Antigua and Barbuda from South Africa to examine the way internet gambling works, the country is not any closer to controlling gaming operators.

Legal and technical goals prevail in the country with many drawbacks in the law and IT systems. Designed at being responsible and secure these snags are not being resolved by legislators and politicians. They were making improvements in 2008 when the South African government approved amendments to the National Gambling Act allowing for the execution of regulations and online casino licensing for internet based gambling. After the proposed regulations were submitted to the public for discussion the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry raised an appeal for the new regime to be delayed. Now Parliament and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are holding public hearings on internet gambling regulations and will only approve the final proposition once public inspection has been completed. The DTI states that it has concerns with the technical aspects of internet gambling and the legislation needs to be restored to deal with particulars, such as software rigging, cyber crime and money laundering.

Representatives from the Department have stated that licensed operators would have to come to terms with Financial Intelligence Centre Act stipulations to safeguard personal information that would be accessible during the course of conducting online business. The said Act would require players to give their personal information, such as an identification number and proof of residence in South Africa. Players would be asked to create an account associated to a credit card or cheque account and give a bank stamp, as no cash dealings are to be permitted. There is a maximum amount of 20,000 Rands allowed in the player’s gaming account at any one time. The National Gambling Act is planning to take on a great deal of responsibility for internet gambling within the South African borders.