Minister Baartman delivers keynote at SiGMA Africa Summit 2026

Speech by Deidré Baartman

Western Cape Minister of Finance

2026 SIGMA Africa Summit

Cape Town

4 March 2026

Leaders and innovators in the gaming and gambling space

Distinguished guests 

Ladies and gentlemen 

Thank you for the welcome, and thank you to the SiGMA Group for the invitation to join you at this year’s Africa Summit here in the Mother City, Cape Town. It is a pleasure to see such a broad gathering of operators, regulators, investors, policymakers and technology specialists under one roof.

Events of this size do not happen without reason. They happen when an industry is expanding, when a city has the infrastructure and capability to host global decision‑makers, and when the economic opportunities are ripe with opportunity. The organisers note that more than 3 000 delegates are expected to attend this year’s summit, with representation from across the continent and far beyond the borders of Africa. That speaks to the weight of the conversations taking place here.

South Africa’s gambling sector has grown rapidly and quickly. The country recorded a gambling turnover of R1.5 trillion in the 2024/25 financial year, with online activity driving a large share of that growth. Digital betting, esports, fintech‑based payment systems and compliance‑focused technologies have reshaped the environment at a rapid pace. A sector that once relied on physical venues now operates across digital platforms that scale instantly all over the world. That shift requires a regulatory posture that is fair but responsive and able to keep pace with new technologies while protecting the public.

The expansion of the gambling industry has ripple effects that extend well beyond the operators themselves. It supports a large network of service providers, from fintech firms and software engineers to compliance specialists, call‑centre staff and hospitality workers. This creates opportunities across multiple sectors of the economy, particularly in a province like the Western Cape where tourism, entertainment and technology intersect naturally. The strength of this value chain is one of the reasons the Western Cape has become a preferred location for businesses operating in this space.

The Western Cape is central to the story of the ever expanding gaming and gambling landscape in South Africa. The province has become one of the main drivers of South Africa’s gross gambling revenue. Growth has been so strong that the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board recorded collections of approximately R1.7 billion in gambling taxes in 2025. Ten years ago, that figure was R51 million. The increase reflects a rise in licence holders and annual sector growth of more than 16 per cent. This is no longer a peripheral industry in our provincial economy. It is a major contributor to the Western Cape’s fiscal stability.

These taxes are not collected for their own sake. As the industry grows, the social impact on individuals and families requires equal attention. Responsible gambling practices, early‑warning interventions and stronger public awareness are essential if the sector is to remain sustainable.

So too is reinvesting gambling revenue back into our communities. The Western Cape Government has been deliberate in utilising these funds to directly support the services that matter most to residents, including Education, Health, Social Development and Safety. The Western Cape has also used these tax revenues to strengthen its provincial reserves so that we can safeguard essential services against unforeseen shocks, climate disasters, budget cuts and wider fiscal pressures.

We recognise that growth must go hand in hand with stronger safeguards. The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board has been proactive in the implementation of community outreach initiatives, early‑intervention programmes at schools and working with license holders to ensure COI is effective and transformational. These interventions help ensure that residents have access to the skills and knowledge long before harm becomes entrenched. A sustainable industry requires a framework where commercial success does not overshadow the wellbeing of households.

But growth on this scale also places new pressures on the institutions responsible for oversight and regulation. The rapid expansion of online sports betting is one example. To ensure that regulation keeps pace with the market, the Western Cape Government allocated more than R25 million to strengthen the capacity of the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board over the next three financial years. This investment will support the Board in collecting more than R3 billion in gambling taxes over the same period, as the gambling sector continues to grow into its new phase. 

Our regulatory institutions have also adapted to a more complex landscape. The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board has been modernising its systems by improving automation, strengthening internal ICT systems and looking at Artificial Intelligence as a crucial tool to support its future functions. We need a modern board to keep up with the demands of a rapidly modernising industry. These improvements will make it possible to detect irregularities sooner, speed up licensing processes and ensure fair play across the value chain. As the digital marketplace evolves, regulation must evolve with it, and the Western Cape intends to stay ahead of that curve.

Ladies and gentlemen, this province is well positioned to support the next phase. The Silicon Cape’s digital ecosystem is strong, with an established base of fintech companies, software developers and data specialists. These capabilities align closely with the direction of the modern gambling and gaming landscape, which relies increasingly on real‑time analytics, cybersecurity systems, digital identity verification and cross‑border connectivity. Hosting SiGMA Africa here strengthens our competitiveness and reinforces regions in the province such as Cape Town and Stellenbosch as natural centres for investment, regulation and innovation in this space.

We are seeing growing interest from international investors who view South Africa, and the Western Cape in particular, as a gateway to the African digital market. The province offers governance stability, reliable service delivery, responsible fiscal management and a talent base that continues to attract global companies. Partnerships between the Western Cape Government, universities and the private sector are expanding research and development capacity. These are the building blocks that underpin long‑term sector growth.

I welcome SiGMA’s focus on collaboration between industry and government. Your engagement with policymakers, gaming authorities and regulators from across the world recognises a basic truth: the long‑term health of this sector depends on transparent, constructive dialogue. South Africa, and the Western Cape in particular, have much to contribute. We have a regulatory framework that aims to balance development with accountability. We have a market that is mature enough to be stable and dynamic enough to keep expanding. And we have a provincial government committed to fair and responsible growth.

Looking ahead, our priorities are clear. We will continue strengthening the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board so that it remains equipped to regulate and support a rapidly evolving industry. We will deepen cooperation with other provinces and the national government to address mutual risks. And we will maintain open engagement with operators and technology providers to ensure that policy adapts in line with industry realities.

We must also confront the risks that come with growth. Illegal gambling, payment fraud, and the misuse of digital platforms undermine both the industry and public confidence. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated monitoring systems, partnerships with financial institutions, public education campaigns and a broader commitment from society. Growth can never come at the expense of vulnerable households.

My hope is that your discussions over the coming days will support the development of a gaming and gambling environment that creates jobs, attracts investment and embraces technological progress while remaining firmly grounded in responsible governance. Africa’s markets are young, ambitious and increasingly digital. Global projections show the gambling sector expanding steadily over the next several years, creating both opportunities and obligations for all of us involved in shaping its direction.

The Western Cape is the right place to have these conversations. It is a province known for resilience, for openness to new ideas and for a public sector that prioritises accountability and quality services. It is also a province that understands the importance of balancing innovation with the responsibility to safeguard the people we serve.

I would like to congratulate the SiGMA team for assembling a programme of this scale and for choosing to host it in South Africa. The Western Cape stands ready to work with industry and regulatory partners to advance a stable, well‑regulated and forward‑looking gaming and digital technology sector.

Thank you once again for the opportunity to address you today. I trust that the conversations and partnerships formed here will strengthen this industry throughout our continent.

I wish you all a successful and productive SiGMA Africa Summit.

Thank you.