| December 1 - Professional online gamblers in South Africa may be waving goodbye to additional income they may earn from playing online or run the risk of a hefty fine or imprisonment. Willie Hartzenberg in the Pretoria High Court has dismissed Casino Enterprises application to allow Gauteng residents to gamble online.
Casino Enterprises (Swaziland) took the Gauteng and national gambling boards, as well as the minister of trade and industry, to court. (A fine plan indeed. NOT!)
The application was based on the fact that even though gambling was taking place on Gauteng computers, it was really happening in Swaziland. Based on this the casino claims that players are not in breach of the the Gauteng Gambling Act.
Judge Hartzenberg stated that no one is allowed to advertise or promote any gambling activity which is illegal in terms of the gambling act or provincial law.
When these laws were passed a large number of concerns were considered one of which is the possibility of irresponsible gambling and addiction.
The court's decision was backed by the Gauteng Gambling Board, maintaining that gambling online is unlawful.
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