The National Gambling Board (NGB) has withheld money won by a South African man through online gambling, prompting the man to take legal action against the board.
The Saturday Star reports the man, from Johannesburg, is suing the board for withholding ZAR40,000 in winnings (US$4,400) from a ZAR20,000 (US$2,200) bet on a UK gambling website.
Online gambling is illegal in South Africa, and the NGB has impounded the cash and put it in a trust account controlled by the National Treasury. The man is looking to at least have his initial bet returned to him.
“Any form of unlicensed online gambling in South Africa is prohibited and is a criminal offence,” NGB chief executive officer Baby Tyawa said, confirming the board had received a letter from the gambler’s lawyers.
He said the man was the first to make such demands, adding South Africans were largely unaware online gambling was illegal. Online gamblers can be fined ZAR10,000 (US$1,100) or face imprisonment.
Tyawa added the trust account currently contains around ZAR3.5 million (US$390,000) withheld from other gamblers.
