Sun International calls for tougher enforcement against offshore gambling in South Africa

Sun International called for firmer enforcement against unlicensed offshore gambling platforms serving South African players and set out its position in high-level meetings with national authorities in late October 2026. Chief executive Ulrik Bengtsson raised sectoral concerns directly with the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, and with representatives of the National Gambling Board (NGB). The company warned that disproportionate regulatory burdens or taxes on licensed operators could push consumers toward higher-risk offshore alternatives.

Call for interagency cooperation

Sun International urged regulators, law-enforcement agencies and financial institutions to coordinate to intercept unauthorised platforms that serve South African residents without a local licence. Bengtsson said offshore operators frequently fail to apply the player-protection safeguards required in South Africa’s regulated jurisdiction, leaving vulnerable players exposed to unmitigated risks. The company argued for a unified national approach to consumer protection and the preservation of a competitive, lawful market.

Responsible Gambling Charter and internal measures

The company launched a Responsible Gambling Charter that formalises player-protection measures, targeted education, responsible marketing practices and comprehensive staff training. The framework incorporates customer self-management tools where permitted by law and supported by technology: deposit limits, cooling-off periods, self-assessments and self-exclusion mechanisms, together with access to professional counselling resources.

The charter ties oversight of responsible gambling to board-level governance and to executive performance evaluation, and requires the company to publish annual public reports on progress. Sun International also demands specialist training for staff to spot indicators of harmful gambling and has scheduled independent external audits of its protection systems.

AI monitoring planned for 2027

Sun International announced plans to deploy artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics in 2027 to detect behavioural patterns that indicate gambling-related harm. The AI system will generate automated risk alerts that trained staff will review; the company stated that responsible-gambling data will be used exclusively for player protection and not for commercial profiling or to incentivise additional betting. The initiative aligns with the company’s public commitments under its new charter and with regulatory engagement.

Regulatory context and government action

These steps come as the South African Government considers possible reforms to the national gambling framework. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition published a notice on 9 October confirming Cabinet approval of the new board for the National Gambling Board. Sun International said player protection, responsible-gambling initiatives and fair taxation should remain central to any legislative review.

Sun International representatives said they favour close cooperation between public authorities and licensed operators to protect consumers and prevent migration to unregulated operators. Chief executive Ulrik Bengtsson discussed these points with Minister Parks Tau and NGB officials during the recent consultations, and the company positioned its proposals within the ongoing national review process. For more on regulator developments see [National Gambling Board](/regulation) and on industry responses consult our [news](/news) section.

(Miguel Sandoval, Corresponsal de regulación)