TLDR
- South Africa’s Western Cape collected R1.192 billion in gambling tax between January and July 2026.
- Sports betting contributed R692.44 million, more than half of all tax collected.
- Sports betting turnover reached R224.35 billion, with gross gaming revenue of R10.66 billion.
- Horse racing, casinos and limited payout machines added a combined R499.41 million.
- July alone brought in R174.1 million, and horse racing tax rose 27% from June.
South Africa’s Western Cape province collected R1.192 billion in gambling tax between January and July 2026. The figures were reported by iGaming Today on September 30.
Sports betting was the largest source of that tax. It brought in R692.44 million, or about 58% of the total.
Casinos, horse racing and limited payout machines (LPMs) made up the remaining R499.41 million. Each of these segments showed steady growth during the period.
Sports Betting Leads the Province
Sports betting recorded a turnover of R224.35 billion over the seven months. Turnover is the total amount of money players wagered.
The segment also produced gross gaming revenue of R10.66 billion. Gross gaming revenue is the amount operators keep after paying out winnings to players.
The report said the high turnover reflects the growing popularity of sports betting among local players. It remains the main driver of gambling tax in the province.
No other segment came close to its numbers. Its tax contribution alone was larger than the other three segments combined.
Casinos, Horse Racing and LPMs
Horse racing was the second largest tax contributor. It paid R217.68 million in tax on a turnover of R5.57 billion.
Casinos followed closely behind with R211.89 million in tax. They generated R1.47 billion in gross gaming revenue over the same period.
Limited payout machines were the smallest of the four segments. They added R69.84 million in tax from R506.65 million in gross gaming revenue.
LPMs are gaming machines with capped prizes. They are usually found in venues outside of casinos, such as bars and taverns.
Together, horse racing, casinos and LPMs accounted for about 42% of the gambling tax collected so far this year.
The report described the Western Cape as one of South Africa’s most active gambling provinces. Over the seven months, the province collected an average of about R170 million in gambling tax per month.
July came in slightly above that average. The province collected R174.1 million in gambling tax during the month alone.
Sports betting again took the largest share in July. It contributed R93.56 million of the monthly total, or just over half.
Horse racing posted the biggest monthly gain. Its tax rose 27% from June to R38.67 million in July.
Gross gaming revenue for horse racing also increased, reaching R644.50 million, according to the latest figures.
