Racing and betting is an integral part of gambling activities in South Africa. The NGB plays a pivotal role in ensuring that operational systems are aligned for provincial licensing authorities in an effort to ensure punter protection and integrity of the sport. This entails coordination and facilitation of development of norms and standards, operational rules of betting industry and review of betting or wagering standards utilized by licensees. Marketing material for the racing and betting industry are reviewed in an endeavour to curb the proliferation of gambling.

Gold Circle is the totalisator operator in KwaZulu-Natal, and Phumelela in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and the Free State. Kenilworth Racing (totalisator) is operating in Western Cape, however, Phumelela currently manages the Western Cape racing operations on behalf of the Kenilworth Racing Trust. In essence, Phumelela has expanded its operations to include the Western Cape and has presence in eight provinces with the exception of KwaZulu-Natal. Trotco (Pty) Ltd t/a Ithotho is also licensed in KwaZulu-Natal as a totalisator and a race course operator. Telebet call centres are located in Gauteng and Eastern Cape. PowerBet Gaming is a totalisator operating in Mpumalanga. Licensed bookmakers are located in all the provinces throughout the Republic. Bets can be placed on horse racing and sport (on and off course), as well as on any other legal contingency.

Since the liberalisation of gambling in the 1990s, there has been extraordinary growth in legalised gambling, the largest of which in the casino sector. As a result, the share of betting Gross Gambling Revenue (GGR) out of the total GGR has fallen from 16% in 2002 to below 10% in 2010. The betting on horse racing and sport sector has however, over the last decade, maintained a strong upward trend with an average growth of close to 20% between FY09/10 and FY18/19.

Trends show that the betting on horse racing and sport sector recorded substantial and the second highest growth after bingo sector. GGR increased by 9.1% from FY12/13 to FY13/14, by 22.2% from FY13/14 to FY14/15, and by 28.5% from FY14/15 to FY15/16. This is mainly as a result of major increases in the generation of GGR by bookmakers offering betting on sport, as is still the case at the end of FY15/16. GGR generated in the betting on horse racing and sport sector continued to increase by 14.3% between FY15/16 and FY16/17, by 20.7% from FY16/17 to FY17/18, and by 17.8% from FY17/18 to FY2018/19. From FY14/15 to FY18/19, a consistently progressive increase in GGR was generated by bookmakers offering betting on sports, and during FY2018/19 on horse racing (as a result of betgames). GGR generated by bookmakers offering betting on sport increased by 22.0% from FY15/16 to FY16/17, by 35.4% from FY16/17 to FY17/18, and by 20.7% from FY17/18 to FY18/19. GGR generated by totalisators offering betting on sports betting reflected an increase by 15.1% from FY15/16 to FY16/17, an increase by 19.2% from FY16/17 to FY17/18, however decreased by 6.5% from FY17/18 to FY18/19. GGR relative to betting on horse racing offered by bookmakers increased by 11.9% from FY15/16 to FY16/17, increased by 12.6% from FY16/17 to FY17/18, and increased by 29.5% from FY17/18 to FY18/19 (mainly as a result of betgames). GGR relative to betting on horse racing offered by totalisators increased by 0.3% from FY15/16 to FY16/17, but decreased by 7.7% from FY16/17 to FY17/18, and decreased by 0.6% from FY17/18 to FY18/19. In monetary value, bookmakers offering betting on sport also generated the highest amounts of GGR in the betting industry from FY14/15 to FY18/19.