South Africa’s online gambling industry is ‘no threat to casinos’
Friday 31st August 2007
Fears by South African (SA) politicians that the country’s online gambling industry will overshadow bricks and mortar casinos have been appeased with figures showing that the former only represents 2 percent of the gambling population compared with the 80 percent engaged in land-based casino activity.
The statistics from SA’s trade and industry department have been used to quash claims by the Casino Association of SA that the introduction of online gambling would impact negatively on casinos.
“There is no apparent threat to the land-based casino from interactive gambling,” trade and industry acting deputy director- general Fungai Sibanda told Parliament’s trade and industry committee this week.
Sibanda’s comments come as part of the ongoing debate into the pros and cons of internet gambling which will become legal for the first time in the country thanks to changes in the National Gambling Amendment Bill.
Fears by South African (SA) politicians that the country’s online gambling industry will overshadow bricks and mortar casinos have been appeased with figures showing that the former only represents 2 percent of the gambling population compared with the 80 percent engaged in land-based casino activity.