Can South Africans Legally Play International Lotteries?
The topic says it all really. Is it possible, through a site like http://www.playhugelottos.com/, to play foreign lotteries, and if you win actually be paid out legally? Does SARS take a cut of your winnings, or does SARS consider this to be foreign online gambling and therefore completely off limits?
With a jackpot of R2.2b at the moment, some of those lotteries are mighty tempting.
Does anyone have any genuine legal knowledge about this?
This might fall under online gambling IIRC and that's a grey area at the moment.
And yes, if SARS could take a cut of your penis, they would.
Solve two of the world's major problems: feed the homeless to the hungry
Short answer?
No
Short and long answer..
No.
Reasoning being, its online gambling which is illegal in this country.
Illegal, because the government cannot get their slice of the pie if it is outside our borders.
So if I were to play and win, I could keep the money in a swiss bank account?
Would that be legal?
I mean u see it in movies everyday, so would it be seen as evasion?
You would aleady have broken the law.
If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.
Sucks. And family buying your tickets overseas?
Then paying money back into your account.
I'm sure there are ways around it.
Nope, its pretty clear cut. Online gambling is illegal in this country, if you somehow fund a ticket (through whatever means) and win, and the government decides to prosecute you will be in trouble.
Originally Posted by Korn1
I've won money on the Aus lottery. R60 IIRC which I "re-invested' in some more tickets and lost it all
Lotto ≠ Gambling in the eyes of SA law
Reason I say that:
Online gambling is illegal in South Africa see http://mybroadband.co.za/news/intern...eme-court.html
Yet we have http://www.nationallottery.co.za/
So if playing the Lotto was gambling in our governments eyes then above should have been removed as well.
Edit: ok after some reading, nope its illegal.
See section 2 of the National Lotteries Act Found here(PDF)
PART II
OTHER LOTTERIES
Society lottery
38. A society lottery shall not be unlawful if—
(a) it is conducted only in the Republic;
(b) the society for whose benefit the lottery is run or to be run, is authorised to
collect contributions from the public in terms of the provisions of the
Fund-raising Act, 1978 (Act No. 107 of 1978);
(c) the society lottery is conducted in accordance with a scheme approved by that
society and the board;
(d) that society is registered with the board in terms of section 41;
(e) the total value of the tickets or chances sold or to be sold and the total or
individual value of the prizes in the lottery does not exceed the prescribed
amounts;
(f) the total proceeds of the society lottery, after deducting sums lawfully
appropriated on account of expenses, including the expenses in respect of an
audit contemplated in section 46, or for the provision of prizes, not exceeding
the prescribed amount or percentage, are applied solely to—
(i) recognised charitable purposes in respect of which that society is
authorised to collect contributions in terms of the Fund-raising Act,
1978;
(ii) participation in or support of sport or cultural activities in respect of
which that society is authorised to collect contributions in terms of the
Fund-raising Act, 1978; or
(iii) other purposes which the board approves and which are not purposes of
private gain nor purposes of any commercial undertaking;
(g) the society lottery is conducted strictly in accordance with the rules referred to
in section 53;
(h) the society lottery is conducted for members of a society established and
conducted for purposes not connected with lotteries, gambling or betting;
(i) tickets for the society lottery are not advertised, marketed, promoted or sold
other than in the prescribed area; and
(j) the lottery is not advertised, marketed or promoted jointly with another
society lottery and the funds for prizes are not combined with those of another
society lottery.
Last edited by Elimentals; 24-03-2012 at 12:10 PM.
.... and thanks for all the fish.
Thanks for all the feedback guys. Pretty disappointed that we can put a little money into a chance of winning billions, even if the odds are as terrible as they are. Ah well, so be it.
Gambling online is illegal in SA, yes, but refers to online casinos (slots, card games, etc), where results are predetermined. Hence the legality of our National Lottery online (not predetermined, obviously *cough*), and of course, online sports betting.
Another thing, if you check out ladbrokes or voltbet locally for sports betting, you have to FICA! Teh hell?!
Sheesh. Very dissapointing. I didnt know that it was illegal either. Bang go my chances of winning the Euro millions.
FU gov't!!
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