36 illegal gambling cases reported in the past five years: Mchunu
South Africa’s Police Minister Senzo Mchunu disclosed that over the past five years, authorities have received 36 reports of illegal online gambling to the South African Police Service and the Hawks . These have led to 39 arrests, with 22 convictions secured . Arrests occurred primarily in KwaZulu‑Natal (20) and Gauteng (19), including 13 by the Hawks—though some resulted in case dismissals due to contested search warrants . Illegal online gambling is a minor share (0.1%) of all gambling violations; the report also references over 32,900 illegal land-based gambling cases in the same period . While the 2004 National Gambling Act bans online interactive gambling, enforcement is weak and outdated laws persist—efforts to amend legislation from 2008 have stalled . Advocacy groups like Rise Mzansi are pressuring government to strengthen enforcement and regulation .
