DOCUMENTS
The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB) has downloadable documents that are associated with the gaming sector in the Western Cape province. The list includes; Strategic Plan, Annual Reports, Gaming Statistics, Technical Indicators, Performance Plans, Research Reports and PAIA Manual.
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STRATEGIC PLAN
It gives me great pleasure to present, on behalf of the Board, the Strategic Plan (SP) of the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (“WCGRB” / “Board”) for the period 2025/26-2029/30. This Board’s SP is rooted in the principles and targets of the development trajectory as set out in South Africa’s National Development Plan. The SP of the Board is informed by the Provincial Strategic Plan (PSP) 2025 – 2030.
The SP details the pre-determined objectives and targets for the year under review whilst projecting intended performance targets and programme indicators for the two outer years in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework of the Board and it does so with the eye on the country, and the Province’s key strategic priorities as well as the current socio-economic constraints and opportunities.
The SP unpacks the activities essential for achieving the Board’s goals. In doing so we reaffirm our commitment in the period under review to enforce effective regulation of the gambling industry.
The objectives of the Board are to control and regulate gambling within the Province of the Western Cape to:
• provide a stable, just, consistent and effective regulatory environment;
• inspire public confidence and trust, in an environment free from corruption and unlawful gambling and racing activities; and
• contribute to the economy of the Western Cape in an innovative and socially responsible manner.
Mr C Bassuday
Chairperson of the Board
2025 - 2030
ANNUAL REPORTS
It gives me pleasure to present the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board’s Annual report for the 2024/25 financial year.
The WCGRB remains a PFMA Schedule 3C provincial public entity incorporated with the promulgation of the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Act, Act 4 of 1996. The WCGRB’s legislated mandate remains as having to regulate the gambling industry in the Western Cape. This is achieved through the acceptance and probity of applications to enter the gambling industry in the Western Cape with the aim of ensuring that only fit and proper persons receive a licence to operate within the Western Cape Gambling Industry. The WCGRB also performs regulatory compliance audits to ensure that licensed operators comply with the prescripts applicable to the industry. Illegal gambling operators are identified and closed down with the assistance of SAPS.
TIn addition, the WCGRB collects and verifies gambling tax from the industry. During the past year, there has been a rapid growth in taxes having reached R1.5 billion in the 2023/24 financial year. As expected, the early rapid growth was not sustained, and the increase in tax revenue has been less dramatic, with the WCGRB having collected and verified R1.75 billion for the 2024/25 financial year.
The WCGRB continues to monitor the industry’s CSI contributions and is pleased to report that the industry contributed R15 937 127 million towards CSI programmes for the reporting period.
The legislated number of Board Members is seven non-executive members. As a collective, the seven members are the WCGRB’s Accounting Authority. The quorum for a Board meeting is five members. During the year under review, the WCGRB had seven appointed members and accordingly was fully constituted. As at the signing of this report, Ms Fani’s term ended and the WCGRB only has six of its seven allotted Board Members. Board member terms are depicted in Part C from Page 50.
The WCGRB's personnel structure has remained constant for at least the last 16 years while the gambling industry has evolved and grown exponentially. This expansion is currently taxing the WCGRB’s resources to optimally achieve its functions and meet the expectations of licence holders.
The WCGRB appointed a service provider to assess the WCGRB’s structure and the resources needed to effectively service its mandate. This exercise has been completed and approved by the WCGRB Board, but the WCGRB would need the financial resources to fund the implementation of the recommendations.
The WCGRB does not have the authority to increase its revenue stream without the approval of the relevant Minister as all financially affected decisions are subject to ministerial budget approval.
The WCGRB’s revenue streams are dictated by legislation which the WCGRB has no authority to amend and consequently becomes dependent on the Western Cape Government to amend legislation.
In a recent WCPT public entity review, it was found that the WCGRB’s remuneration for senior staff were amongst the lowest across the Western Cape provincial public entities. In addition, compared to the other South African Gambling Regulatory Boards, the remuneration structure is lower than most of them. This places the WCGRB at a disadvantage and risks losing its key employees to other entities of which three such employees have been lost to other regulators.
The WCGRB has taken possession of its newly acquired office accommodation at 24 Fairway Close and has acquired the services of a suitably qualified project manager to manage the process for the refurbishment and fit-out of the WCGRB building.
Notwithstanding the challenges, the WCGRB has delivered on its mandate.
The WCGRB has achieved a clean audit outcome and achieved 16 of its 19 planned performance indicators.
Medium Term Goals
The process for rolling out type B LPMs is well underway and the rollout should commence by the third quarter of the 2025/26 fiscal year. In addition, the WCGRB will be reviewing the frameworks for type C and type D LPMs as well as Bingo. Not only would this have an impact on the WCGRB’s revenue stream as well as taxes for the WCG Fiscus, but also gives heed to the request by the industry for these legislated offerings to be made available.
In all of this, the WCGRB will pay extreme attention to the protection of society from the overstimulation of gambling, a fair and viable gambling industry in the Western Cape Province, economic empowerment of the historically disadvantaged and the promotion of economic growth, development and employment.
The enhancement of responsible gambling measures in the Western Cape gambling industry is receiving focused attention by the WCGRB with research having been conducted to inform the WCGRB of the prevalence of gambling and problem gambling in the Western Cape to inform policies and plans on other modes of gambling and to inform the WCGRB on the formulation of policies and measures to combat problem gambling and enhance responsible gambling within the province.
During the course of the 2024/25 fiscal year, the WCGRB developed its Strategic Plan for the period 2025 - 2030.
Acknowledgments
I hereby acknowledge and thank the Provincial Minister Adv. Deidre Baartman for her invaluable support and understanding of the WCGRB, the WCPT, the SCOF, and the PAC for their support and guidance, fellow Board members, the WCGRB Audit and Risk Committee for their oversight and direction in the achievement of the mandate of the Board and the AGSA, Internal Audit and WCGRB executive and employees for the efficient execution of their duties notwithstanding the complexities and impediments brought about by inadequate resources. Their efforts are recognised and gratefully appreciated.
Mr C Bassuday
Chairperson of the Board
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN
The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB) plays a crucial role in ensuring that the gambling industry operates within a framework of integrity, fairness, and accountability. As custodians of public trust, the Western Cape Government (WCG) is committed to fostering a regulatory environment that is transparent, just, and aligned with the economic growth and job creation goals of our province. The WCGRB is responsible for instilling public confidence and trust that gambling in the Province is conducted honestly and is free from corruptive elements. Furthermore, the WCGRB also ensures that gambling, indirectly through the provincial fiscus, contributes towards economic growth and job creation in the Western Cape.
The WCGRB’s contribution to economic growth and job creation is done in two ways – firstly with the industry itself creating opportunities for employment, and secondly through the collection of taxes and levies that contribute to the province’s revenue.
In setting out the WCGRB’s Annual Performance Plan for 2025/26, guidance was taken from key strategies of the Western Cape Government, including the Provincial Strategic Plan (PSP) 2025-2030 and the Growth For Jobs (G4J) economic strategy. The PSP provide the context for the policy priorities of Growth for Jobs, Safety, Educated, Healthy and Caring Society supported by the enablers of Innovation, Culture and Governance, with the G4J Strategy setting out a clear path to enabling ‘breakout’ economic growth needed to lift many more people out of poverty and into prosperity
With the aim of enabling a R1 trillion jobs-rich, diverse, sustainable economy, growing at a rate between 4% and 6% annually, the WCGRB has a role to play in assisting the province in reaching this goal. This is all taken into consideration in the development of the WCGRB’s vision which, over the next five years, aims to be the leading gambling regulatory authority for innovative, sustainable business practices, that maximises economic opportunities in a socially responsible manner with the purpose of having a properly regulated gambling industry in the Western Cape.
Innovation is a key driver of our regulatory approach. In an era of rapid technological advancement, the WCGRB embraces digital transformation to strengthen governance, streamline operations, and improve oversight mechanisms. The use of technology ensures that our licensing, compliance, and monitoring processes remain efficient and effective. Through automation we can better equipped to detect and prevent unlawful activities while fostering a fair, innovative and competitive industry.
At the same time, we recognise the potential harms associated with gambling. Protecting vulnerable individuals and mitigating the risks of problem gambling is a fundamental priority. Through responsible gambling initiatives, public awareness campaigns, advocating for self-exclusion processes, and close collaboration with stakeholders, we work to create a safe environment that upholds the well-being of the Western Cape people. The WCG remains committed to implementing policies that prevent exploitation, safeguard consumers, and address the social impact of gambling.
To this end, the Annual Performance Plan will assist in monitoring and evaluating the performance of the Board against set criteria, thereby enhancing accountability, corporate governance, effectiveness, efficiency, fairness, trust and innovation. The WCGRB has my full support as they set about implementing the 2025/26 Annual Performance Plan to ensure the objectives and programmes achieve maximum benefit for the Western Cape people.
The WCGRB has my full support as they set about implementing the 2024/25 Annual Performance Plan to ensure the objectives and programmes achieve maximum benefit for all who live in the Western Cape.
ADV. DEIDRÉ BAARTMAN
MINISTER FOR FINANCE
2025 / 2026
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The King IV Report on Corporate Governance contains the King IV Code which sets out recommended practices and principles. Corporate governance, for the purposes of King IV, is defined as the exercise of ethical and effective leadership by the governing body towards the achievement of the following governance outcomes: ethical culture, good performance, effective control and legitimacy. Through application of the “apply and explain” approach to reporting, this report is aimed at assisting stakeholders in assessing the Board’s approach to corporate governance and application of the King IV practices and principles. This report is for the period 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021 and should be read together with the Board’s 2020/21 Annual Report as published on the Board’s website.WCGRB Corporate Governance Report 2022
PAIA
The Promotion of Access to Information Act (“PAIA”), 2000 (Act 2 of 2000), was promulgated to give effect to the constitutional right of access to information held by the State or by another person which information is required for the exercise or protection of any rights. This right is entrenched in Section 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (“the WCGRB”) is a Schedule 3C public entity in terms of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No. 1 of 1999), as amended (“PFMA”). The WCGRB is established in terms of the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Act, 1996, as amended (“the Act”) and is in terms of Section 14 of PAIA duty-bound to compile a manual concerning the records and information held by the WCGRB.WCGRB PAIA Manual
RESEARCH
RESEARCH STUDY ON GAMBLING PREVALENCE AND PROBLEM GAMBLING INCIDENCE
This research provides an in-depth analysis of gambling and problem gambling in the Western Cape, South Africa. The study evaluates the gambling landscape by examining demographics, gambling modes, and socio-economic impacts to guide WCGRB's policy decisions and responsible gambling programmes.
WCGRB GAMBLING ACTIVITY IMPACT STUDY
The study assesses the social and economic effects of regulated gambling activities in the Province of the Western Cape while also exploring the potential for growth and expansion of the industry.