Betfair Closes South African Operations

The court case they refer to is the Piggs Peak case, you should be able to google it.

While that case ruled on poker and "interactive" online gaming, the case really came down to the concept of jurisdiction. The idea is really if members of SA society go motherless out gambling on sites in Lesotho, or Russia or some Island somewhere under rules over which we have zero say, the fallout remains here. The court decided that the gambling laws here try to be accountable here and therefore to allow non licenced entities to move in is against the spirit of the law which had been written before online gaming had taken over.

If I remember correctly, it all started with Piggs Peak's advertising campaign whereby they did not have to clear gambling adverts with anyone because they weren't accountable here. Turned out they were wrong. Before we hammer the lws though, the general consensus is that the gambling laws here are world class. In fact it's well known that the racing here is considered much straighter than most other places too, and this came from a high level study of world racing.

Thanks Jack, found a few links to the Piggs Peak ruling. This seems to be
about on-line poker and interactive gambling, not betting exchanges.

However, a couple of them show this statement from the National Gambling Board

>“The only legally recognized activity via the internet in RSA is online betting within
>the racing and betting environment,” the NGB said in a statement issued on 18
>February 2011.

So exactly why would a British based company want to alienate customers who
live in a country that is part of the same Commonwealth. There is clearly more to
this than they are disclosing.

I am sure you are correct, however before all is revealed I will miss not being able to have access to the site.
Whether you love them or hate them you get the most accurate betting Market via the exchange as it's actual money driving it and not the odd claim.

BETDAQ gonna be getting a few new accounts

Just reading the statement again, can we still view or are they just stopping the punting ?

Scotty I was comparing the SA Market on betfair and Betdaq not much difference pricewise but the volumes traded is less

any chance that betfair have applied for an online gambling license and this is a move to sweeten the gambling board?

This move by BF is absolutely nothing more than an attempt @ compliance.They were lambasted at the recent gambling conference when their representative admitted that they had been betting to SA clients in full knowledge that it is illegal.This is an attempt to get back into the good books,nothing more.

I tried to withdraw my Betfair funds today, but when pressing
"Withdraw" it says I can't exceed amount paid via credit card.
Anyone know how get your money out of the Betfair account
without phoning a UK number?

gjmurrell

For betting and account enquiries: info@betfair.com

Going back a while but you were never able to take back into a credit card? You have to withdraw via you current/ bank account, when it arrives in Joburg they will call u and ask what it is. Not sure if things changed?

Ps only about 10% of punters withdraw

Does anyone know what this South African Supreme Court Of Appeal was?
I have tried searching all over but can't seem to find anything on it.