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South Africa is tightening oversight of online gambling advertisements, particularly promotions spread through social media, influencer accounts and messaging platforms.
To address non-compliant advertising across these channels, the National Gambling Board (NGB) and Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) have established a formal partnership for closer monitoring, information sharing and referrals.
Their collaboration aims to clarify responsibilities where gambling regulation and advertising standards overlap, while strengthening consumer protection.
Influencers face stricter gambling ad rules
The ARB's advertising rules cover advertisers, practitioners and media owners, while its Social Media Code sets standards for brands, publishers and paid influencers. What matters is not just who publishes a post, but who pays for it and what commercial ties sit behind the message.
The NGB brings gambling oversight into the partnership, allowing both bodies to coordinate when their responsibilities overlap.
Influencer marketing commands substantial fees in South Africa. In 2024, a static post averaged R4,354, while a reel fetched R7,335.
Such rates put a price on access to online audiences, including when brands use creators to promote their services.
As regulators examine gambling advertising, attention extends beyond the person posting to the businesses financing the promotion and the arrangements behind it.
PPC casino campaigns and audience targeting
Paid search offers another route for gambling businesses seeking to attract customers online. A PPC casino placement can put a brand in front of people searching for gambling services, while PPC betting targets audiences interested in wagering.
Both approaches rely on reaching relevant audiences, with campaign planning also shaped by the rules governing gambling advertisements.
Advertisers planning Google Ads betting campaigns need to check the platform's requirements alongside the laws that apply in their target markets.
These restrictions can influence budget decisions for a PPC casino campaign and determine which promotional channels are available.
Before launching PPC betting promotions or investing in Google Ads betting, gambling operators need to establish whether their intended advertisements meet the relevant requirements.
