Communications minister to talk to ICASA about gambling on mobile networks
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has said, in a reply to a parliamentary question, that he will engage ICASA on what it can do where electronic networks are used to reach gambling products. It is a discussion stage only: no new blocking rule or ban has been announced.
Most South Africans reach gambling through a phone, so any talk of network level rules is worth following. For now nothing changes for players: there is no new blocking or ban, and the National Gambling Board still says online casino games are not legal for South African operators to offer. The practical point is that the offshore sites many players use sit outside South African licensing, so check each operator's licence and our review pages before depositing.
What was said
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi said he will engage the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) on what measures could be taken within its mandate where electronic networks are used to facilitate access to gambling products. The statement was reported on 9 October 2026 and came in answer to parliamentary questions from Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana.
Malatsi said he supports protecting South Africans, particularly vulnerable and low-income households, from the harm caused by irresponsible gambling. He also made a narrower legal point: where a mobile network is simply a channel for buying gambling vouchers, that does not by itself turn the underlying product into a service regulated by ICASA.
Where the wider gambling reform stands
The minister pointed to the National Gambling Act of 2004 and provincial gambling laws as the framework for licensing. Separately, MyBroadband reports that Trade Minister Parks Tau said in June 2026 that the National Gambling Policy Council would fast-track a bill to deal with online gambling, and that a Gambling Technical Committee is reviewing how national and provincial law fit together.
According to the same report, Tau said his department has been reviewing the National Gambling Act since October 2025 to produce a policy document that will inform the drafting, and that the bill is expected to go to Cabinet in late 2026. Tau also said the National Gambling Board is working on advertising regulations, including responsible gambling warnings on gambling ads and a rule against placing ads where most of the audience is under 18.
What it means for South African players
This is an early signal, not a rule. Nothing in the reports describes a ban, a blocking order or a deadline for ICASA. The National Gambling Board's published position remains that interactive online gambling is not legal in South Africa, apart from online sports betting offered by licensed bookmakers.
- No South African operator holds a licence for online casino games, and sites that accept South African players are generally licensed offshore.
- If network level measures ever do arrive, they would most likely be aimed at how unlicensed services are reached, not at individual players.
- Our South Africa legal overview explains the difference between being unlicensed here and accepting South African players.
What to watch next
- Whether ICASA publishes anything after its talks with the minister.
- Whether the new gambling bill reaches Cabinet before the end of 2026, as the Trade Minister indicated.
- When the National Gambling Board publishes its draft advertising regulations.
Gambling is entertainment with a real risk of loss. If it stops being fun, take a break and speak to someone you trust.