From the street, it looked like a normal internet café in the middle of Polokwane. Inside, people were gambling online on machines with no licence. Now the man who ran it is going to jail.
What happened
On 25 June 2026, the Limpopo Gambling Board's enforcement team and the South African Police Service raided the shop in the Polokwane city centre. They took away 17 computers that were being used for online gambling.
Checks with Home Affairs also showed that the operator was living and running a business in South Africa with expired immigration papers.
On 22 October 2026, the Polokwane Magistrate's Court sentenced him to 12 months in prison, with no option to pay a fine instead.
A tougher sentence than before
This matters because sentences for illegal gambling have often been light. In May 2026, the Hoedspruit Magistrate's Court, also in Limpopo, gave an illegal operator six months in prison or a R2,000 fine for the gambling offences. A R2,000 fine is a small cost for a business that can make much more than that in a week.
A year in jail with no fine option sends a much stronger message. The Board called the ruling a strong warning to anyone running illegal gambling in the province.
How these shops work
Illegal gambling shops in South Africa often look the same. They are set up as internet cafés or small gaming rooms, with touchscreen computers instead of slot machines and security gates at the door. The games run on servers in other countries.
Many customers think these places are licensed. They are not, and that is the danger. A licensed operator must test its games for fairness, check players' ages, report suspicious money and pay into responsible gambling programmes. An illegal shop does none of this, and if it does not pay out, players have nowhere to complain.
"Members of the public who participate in illegal gambling also risk losing their money," the Board said after the judgment.
How to stay safe
Only gamble at venues and websites that show a licence from a provincial gambling board. If you are not sure, check the board's website. You can read more in our guide on whether online betting is legal in South Africa.
If gambling is causing you problems, call the free 24-hour helpline on 0800 006 008.
Related reading
Follow African iGaming as it happens
Daily regulation and market updates on Telegram
Sources
Sources last checked on 26 October 2026. Gambling is for adults only (18+).
