South Africa tries to make online casinos illegal

South Africa is the latest country to line up with the USA to try to stop online casinos by making them illegal but according to the latest casino news coming from the country one online casino operator is not happy with recent rulings and intends to fight on. Casino Enterprise (pty) Ltd operates an online casino in South Africa but the server for the operation is based in Swaziland where online gambling is legal and therefore considers that no further license is required. The Gauteng Gambling Board on the other hand think that as the players are located in South Africa there should be a license which of course the online casino does not have and cannot get. The issue has been going on since 2004 and although an initial ruling by the North Gauteng High Court said a license was required it was appealed and the appeal went to Bloemfontein, Bloemfontein referred the issue back to Gauteng and hence this recent decision. Casino Enterprise (Pty) Ltd has been in discussions with their legal experts who still consider that the ruling is incorrect and have launched yet another appeal which incidentally will enable the casino to continue to operate until the appeal is settled. The Gauteng Gambling Board are very happy with the ruling and said “We have always been of the opinion that online gambling activities start where the punter is seated and concluded where the server is based, confirming that anyone proving online gambling to residents of SA must be licensed by SA”. It seems the debate goes on but in the meantime we have no such problems here in Ireland so gamble away to your heart’s content, it is legal..