Judge’s gavel, Themis sculpture, scale and collection of legal books on the brown desk.
LOTTO: South African LAW and the Lottery
How much do you know about LOTTO and the LAW? Here’s a quick summary of the Lotteries Act, and what it means for legal LOTTO in SA.
Judge’s gavel, Themis sculpture, scale and collection of legal books on the brown desk.
LOTTO is one of South Africa’s most popular games. But have you ever wondered what the law has to say about the LOTTO games? The National Lottery exists thanks to the Lotteries Act.
ALSO READ: LOTTO: How do I contact the National Lottery?
While you don’t have to know this to play the draw, it can still be useful to inform yourself about the legal bits. This is why lottery games are legal under some conditions, but very illegal when it’s in a friends’ basement or at a chisa.
Here’s a quick summary of the South African law and the National LOTTO.
LOTTO and the Lotteries Act 57 of 1997
The Lotteries Act (57 of 1997) is why the National Lottery is legal.
The document outlines what lottery means, and what conditions allow the LOTTO to operate in South Africa. It’s an important legal document, though most people who want to play the lottery draw aren’t interested in reading more than 50 pages to do it.
ALSO READ: LOTTO: Why can’t I play the Lottery past 23:00?
The important part of the law is that it outlines:
- What the lottery means,
- Who participates in the lottery,
- How and where funds are kept or distributed,
- What to do in case of fraud or illegal lotteries
A copy is also available from the National Lottery website.
What do the LOTTO laws say?
The Lotteries Act makes it clearer as to what a ‘participant’ and ‘lottery’ means.
Technically, lotteries are games that don’t require specific skill to play, but that can have legal payouts or jackpots. Lottery isn’t the same as poker or chess: which require “skill” or an explanation that’s longer than simply choosing your LOTTO numbers.
ALSO READ: LOTTO: What documents do I need to play?
It’s thanks to the Lotteries Act that playing the LOTTO is legal.
The law says why the National Lottery is legal to play, but why international lotteries and pub bets might not.
The Latest Legal Change
The Lotteries Amendment Act (32 of 2013) is the latest legal change that impacts the LOTTO law.
One of the important things said in the Lotteries Amendment Act 32 of 2013 is the stipulation of the National Lotteries Commission. The NLC oversees the National Lottery, and ensures that charitable efforts and payouts proceed legally.
ALSO READ: LOTTO: Four ways to increase your chances of winning
Improved professionalism and accountability is outlined in the same Amendment Act.
And that’s why LOTTO is legal and safe, but betting someone R100 you can ‘do that thing’ is not.
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