Legal and Compliance Manager

Initiate International; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Initiate International in Cape Town seeks a Commercial Legal and Compliance Manager to navigate South Africa’s regulated iGaming and sports betting landscape. The role requires hands-on experience with gambling legislation, licensing conditions and risk management to support sustainable growth.

The successful candidate will oversee legal advisory, regulatory compliance, AML/KYC, and responsible gambling programs, translating complex requirements into practical policies and driving

Qualifications

• A relevant legal qualification such as an LLB or equivalent.
• Proven experience in a Legal, Compliance or Legal & Compliance Manager role.
• Experience within the South African iGaming, online gambling or sports betting industry.
• Strong working knowledge of South African gambling legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to translate legislation into practical policies and procedures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and guidance on commercial, operational and regulatory matters.
• Draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts, supplier contracts and service agreements.
• Identify legal risks and recommend mitigation measures.
• Support licensing applications, renewals and regulatory submissions.
• Maintain regulatory documentation, policies and records.
• Develop and implement compliance frameworks and risk controls.
• Communicate complex requirements to non-legal stakeholders and provide training.

Skills

Regulatory knowledge

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder communication

Risk assessment

Education

LLB or equivalent

Tools

FICA knowledge

Job description

Legal and Compliance Manager job vacancy in Cape Town.

Are you a legal and compliance professional with hands‑on experience navigating South Africa’s regulated iGaming and sports betting landscape?

We’re looking for a commercially minded Legal and Compliance Manager to join a growing business within the iGaming industry.

This is an exciting opportunity for a professional who understands the intersection of gambling legislation, regulatory compliance, commercial operations and risk management.

The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring the business operates in accordance with South African gambling laws, licensing conditions and applicable regulatory requirements, while providing practical legal guidance to support sustainable business growth.

If you understand the complexities of the South African betting market and can translate regulatory requirements into effective business practices, this could be the opportunity for you.

Key Responsibilities:

• Legal Advisory & Contract Management
  • Provide legal advice and guidance to management and internal departments on commercial, operational and regulatory matters.
  • Draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements, supplier contracts, partnership agreements, service‑level agreements and other business documentation.
  • Identify legal risks within commercial arrangements and recommend appropriate mitigation measures.
  • Support contract negotiations and ensure agreements protect the organisation’s interests.
  • Monitor changes in relevant legislation and advise stakeholders on their potential business impact.
  • Liaise with external legal advisers on specialised matters, disputes and regulatory issues where required.
• Regulatory Compliance & Gambling Legislation
  • Oversee the organisation’s legal and regulatory compliance framework within the South African iGaming and sports betting market.
  • Maintain a strong understanding of applicable gambling legislation, provincial licensing requirements and regulatory obligations.
  • Monitor developments relating to the National Gambling Act, relevant provincial gambling legislation and other applicable laws and regulations.
  • Ensure the business adheres to relevant licence conditions, regulatory directives and reporting requirements.
  • Support licensing applications, renewals, regulatory submissions and ongoing interactions with provincial gambling boards.
  • Maintain regulatory documentation, compliance registers, policies and records.
  • Assess the impact of regulatory changes on business operations and implement appropriate compliance measures.
• AML, KYC & Financial Crime Compliance
  • Oversee and strengthen compliance processes relating to anti‑money laundering, customer due diligence, player verification and financial crime prevention.
  • Ensure applicable obligations under the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) are appropriately addressed.
  • Support the implementation and maintenance of risk management and compliance programmes, including relevant AML policies and procedures.
  • Work with Risk, Payments and Operations teams to identify and elevate suspicious transactions, potential fraud and other compliance concerns.
  • Ensure appropriate processes are in place for record‑keeping, reporting, customer verification and regulatory escalations.
  • Keep abreast of relevant Financial Intelligence Centre guidance and applicable regulatory developments.
• Responsible Gambling & Player Protection
  • Ensure the business meets applicable responsible gambling and player protection requirements.
  • Review relevant policies, procedures and operational controls relating to player protection, underage gambling prevention and responsible gambling interventions.
  • Advise Marketing and Operations teams on compliance considerations relating to promotions, player communications and customer engagement.
  • Help ensure advertising and promotional activity aligns with applicable gambling laws, licence conditions and relevant advertising standards.
  • Identify potential compliance gaps and work with internal teams to implement corrective actions.
• Risk Management & Internal Governance
  • Identify, assess and manage legal, regulatory and operational compliance risks.
  • Develop, review and maintain compliance policies, internal controls and standard operating procedures.
  • Conduct compliance reviews and support internal and external audits.
  • Investigate potential breaches and coordinate appropriate remediation measures.
  • Maintain a compliance risk register and report material risks, incidents and outstanding actions to senior management.
  • Deliver compliance training and promote a culture of accountability throughout the business.
• Stakeholder Management
  • Work closely with senior leadership, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Customer Support and Risk teams to integrate compliance into everyday business activities.
  • Build and maintain professional relationships with relevant regulators, external legal advisers and other stakeholders.
  • Provide clear, commercially practical guidance that enables the business to pursue growth opportunities responsibly.
  • Communicate complex legal and regulatory requirements in a way that is accessible and actionable for non‑legal stakeholders.

What We’re Looking For:

• A relevant legal qualification, such as an LLB, or an appropriate compliance qualification supported by substantial relevant legal and regulatory experience.
• Proven experience in a Legal, Compliance or Legal & Compliance Manager position.
• Demonstrable experience within the South African iGaming, online gambling or sports betting industry.
• Strong working knowledge of South African gambling legislation, provincial licensing frameworks and regulatory requirements.
• Understanding of the National Gambling Act, relevant provincial gambling laws and the regulatory environment governing licensed betting operators.
• Knowledge of FICA, AML requirements, KYC procedures and financial crime controls relevant to the business.
• Experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts and advising on legal and regulatory risk.
• Experience managing regulatory engagements, licence compliance, audits or regulatory submissions.
• Understanding of responsible gambling obligations, player protection and gambling advertising requirements.
• Strong analytical, research and problem‑solving skills, with excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to interpret legislation and translate complex requirements into practical policies and procedures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence engaging senior stakeholders.
• A proactive, commercially aware approach and the ability to work independently in a remote environment.

Essential Experience:

• Experience working directly with South African provincial gambling boards.
• Exposure to licensing and compliance requirements across multiple provinces.
• Experience supporting online sportsbook, casino or other licensed betting operations.
• Familiarity with regulatory developments affecting digital gambling, payments and player verification.
• Experience developing compliance frameworks within a growing or evolving iGaming business.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a critical legal and compliance function within the iGaming sector, helping the business navigate South Africa’s regulatory landscape while supporting responsible and sustainable growth.