Senior Corporate Lawyer South Africa (Betting Operations / iGaming)

Black Pen Recruitment; Johannesburg; Remote; ZAR 800,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking an experienced legal professional to ensure compliance for South African wagering entities. The role requires expertise in corporate law, especially regarding the National Gambling Act, with responsibilities encompassing governance, licence management, and commercial contract negotiations. Ideal candidates should have at least 8 years of corporate experience and fluency in English, with other local languages being an advantage. This position offers a fully remote work environment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of corporate/commercial experience in regulated sectors.
• Expert knowledge of gambling regulations and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Maintain compliance records and corporate filings.
• Lead licence management and new applications.
• Draft and negotiate commercial contracts.
• Guide finance on approvals for dividends and loans.
• Run legal due diligence for M&A targets.
• Manage disputes and oversee litigation.

Skills

Corporate law expertise

Knowledge of National Gambling Act

Strong negotiation skills

Fluent in English

Education

Admitted attorney

Job description

Overview

Our client believes in the power of Virtual Advancement—leveraging digital innovation and strategic foresight to help businesses excel in a rapidly evolving world. With a focus on agility and adaptability, they work alongside organisations to simplify complexity, enhance operations, and implement strategies that foster long-term success.

Their team partners with startups, SMEs, and large enterprises across various industries, enabling clients to harness technology, data, and strategic insight to gain sustainable competitive advantage. From expanding into new markets to building resilient financial roadmaps, our client serves as a trusted advisor committed to creating meaningful impact. Whether the goal is operational optimisation or future-focused growth, our client delivers the clarity and capability needed to navigate change and lead with confidence.

Role Overview

Keep our client’s South-African wagering entities fully licence-compliant, financially efficient, and ready for growth across the continent.

Job Type: Full-time / Permanent

Location: South Africa

Workplace: Remote

Requirements

• Admitted attorney, 8 + years’ corporate / commercial track record in betting, fintech, or other regulated sector.
• Expert knowledge of National Gambling Act, provincial regulations, and SARB exchange-control rules.
• Fluent English; Afrikaans or another local language strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Governance & filings – Maintain flawless CIPC records, B-BBEE certificates, UBO registers, and provincial-board corporate returns.
• Licence management – Lead new applications, renewals, share-change approvals, and key-person vetting with Gauteng, Western-Cape, and other boards; brief the MLRO on any conditions attached.
• Commercial contracts – Draft / drive negotiations for affiliate, data-feed, sponsorship, and white-label agreements; embed gambling-act requirements and CPA provisions.
• Exchange-control & tax – Guide finance on SARB approvals for dividends, loans, and IP royalties; flag thin-cap risks and withholding-tax triggers.
• M&A / expansion – Run legal due diligence for new African targets; manage data rooms, closing opinions, and post-merger integrations.
• Dispute oversight – Own vendor, player, and regulator disputes; instruct and manage litigation counsel under capped-fee or AFA terms.
• Policy & training – Roll out signing-authority limits and director-induction packs; run annual governance training for local leadership.