DA explains its position on online gambling

Toby Chance, the DA’s spokesperson on Trade, Industry and Competition, said the party supports a legal but regulated online gambling environment.

These comments followed questions about the party’s position on online gambling, considering its negative effect on poor South Africans.

There are also concerns that the Democratic Alliance may not be objective on this issue due to one of its biggest funders being an online gambling tycoon.

The DA has received R43 million from online gambling billionaire Martin Moshal while it was promoting a bill to legalise online gambling in South Africa.

This raises the question of the party’s position on online gambling in South Africa and why it supports it.

Chance told Newsday that they are not in favour of an outright ban on online gambling in South Africa. It also does not support a ban on online casino games.

“Our position is that online gambling must be tightly regulated through new legislation and that an amendment to the National Gambling Act is necessary,” he said.

“A key issue will be expanding protections for vulnerable individuals and using technology to help identify the user of a particular device when gambling or betting.”

He said that the cooperation of banks, online platforms, and retailers will be critical to achieve this goal.

Chance explained that they do not support an outright ban on online gambling as it generally leads to an increase in illicit operators.

“We have seen that in the alcohol and cigarette industries, and it would be the same outcome with gambling,” he said.