Definitions
- Betbus: Our brand, gambling platform, and all products available through www.betbus.co.za.
- Customer: An individual who has successfully registered an account with us and can place bets on our Gambling Platform.
- Gambling Platform: A website, app, or any other online platform accessible via the Internet or mobile, wireless, or similar communication technologies, which customers can use for gambling.
- Voluntary Responsible Gaming Account Closure: A customer's voluntary request to be excluded from gambling due to its potentially addictive nature. Betbus may also unilaterally apply this type of closure in cases involving gambling issues, even if not acknowledged by the customer.
- Self-Exclusion: A customer's voluntary request to be excluded from gambling for a specific duration.
- South African Responsible Gambling Foundation: An organization that offers Free and Confidential Treatment and Counseling to those affected by Problem Gambling and their immediate family members.
- Cool Off: A voluntary short break or cooling-off period from gambling.
- Uplift: A customer's voluntary request to lift the Cool Off or Self-Exclusion period to regain access to their betting account.
- Unsettled bets: Bets for which the outcomes are yet to be determined. These bets will be considered settled after the results are known.
At Betbus, we are dedicated to providing our customers with top-quality sports betting entertainment. Sports betting and gaming should be a source of fun and enjoyment, and we are committed to ensuring it remains that way. We take responsible gambling seriously and encourage our customers to do the same to maintain a positive experience and prevent potential issues from escalating into problems.
If you suspect you may be experiencing gambling-related challenges, please consider the following indicators:
- You view gambling solely as a means of making money.
- Gambling is negatively affecting your daily life and family responsibilities.
- You are neglecting personal needs such as food and sleep due to gambling.
- You are wagering more than you can comfortably afford.
- You resort to theft or borrowing to address gambling losses.
- You gamble as a response to frustration or other negative emotions.
- You attempt to conceal your gambling or its consequences.
- Your attempts to control your gambling have been repeatedly unsuccessful.
- Others have expressed concerns about your gambling behavior.
If, after reviewing the above, you believe you may be facing gambling-related issues, we recommend reaching out to the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF):
- Contact an experienced counselor anytime via the toll-free counseling line at 0800 006 008 or send a "Help" message to 076 675 0710 on WhatsApp/SMS.
- Visit the SARGF website at https://responsiblegambling.org.za/ for additional information and assistance.
Please get in touch with our Customer Support Team at support@betbus.co.za or through Live Chat to request your preferred closure option. Our team will promptly process your written request and remove your details from mailing lists and other marketing databases.
Responsible Gaming and Account Closure Options
At Betbus, we provide our customers with the ability to take control of their gambling activity. We offer various options for temporarily suspending or permanently closing your betting account. If you believe that your gambling has become problematic or simply wish to take a break, we encourage you to reach out to our Customer Support team at support@betbus.co.za or via Live Chat.
Here are the closure options available to you:
- Cool Off: You can temporarily suspend your account for durations of 1 day, 7 days, 1 month, or 3 months. For Cool Off activation, we only require an email from you. The same process applies when you choose to reactivate your betting account after the Time-Out period has elapsed.
- Self-Exclusion: You have the option to suspend your account for a minimum period of 6 months. Please contact our Customer Support Team to inquire about other exclusion periods. To activate your Self-Exclusion period or to reactivate your account after the exclusion period ends, you need to send us a written request. Please note that any request to uplift your Self-Exclusion before the exclusion period ends will be subject to management approval, based on the circumstances surrounding the initial request, and can only be considered after a minimum of 6 months has passed since your initial Self-Exclusion request. This provision applies equally to permanent Self-Exclusions and Responsible Gaming Account Closures.
Please be aware that these closure options apply exclusively to our Gambling Platform. It is the customer's responsibility to self-exclude from all other gambling platforms.
Before you submit your closure request, make sure to withdraw any funds if you have a positive balance in your betting account. We have a policy of not suspending or excluding accounts until all available funds have been withdrawn. You must ensure that the withdrawal has been completed.
While we strive to process your closure request as swiftly as possible, please understand that this process takes a reasonable amount of time to implement. Your request will not be considered effective until it has been fully executed and communicated to you. If you find that you can still access any of our services after the closure request, it is your responsibility to notify us immediately.
We aim to process closure requests promptly. Please note that during this period, we will conduct due diligence on the account and report it to the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator ("MER").
Once you initiate the closure process or communicate with our customer service team, refrain from accessing your account. Access to your account will be restricted during the closure period, or permanently if permanent self-exclusion was applied. You will also no longer receive marketing materials, electronic communications, social media updates, loyalty programs, and other promotions from us.
Any unsettled bets with Betbus at the time you enter the closure period will be settled based on the event's outcome. If your bet is a winner, your winnings will be automatically credited to your account.
If you wish to reactivate your account and place bets again, you must contact Customer Support by email only after the closure period has ended. Any other requests (other than by email) will not be considered, and you will be asked to submit a written request to Customer Support.
In cases such as severe gambling addiction, before the upliftment of a closure can be considered, Betbus may request proof that you have received treatment and/or attended counseling sessions, or fulfill any other prerequisites to ensure that past gambling-related problems have been resolved. Betbus reserves the right to extend a customer's self-exclusion period at our discretion, especially when informed by regulatory bodies, such as regulators or other authorities, or authorized professional organizations that may require an extension.
Each month, information on all closures and related activities, including approved/denied closure applications, uplifted closures, winnings by customers with suspended betting accounts, violations, and statistics, will be submitted to the MER.
All documentation and information regarding closures will be made available to the MER upon request and during inspections.
This policy is in line with the Mpumalanga Gambling Rules, 2013, and the Notice published by the MER to all Licensees in 2014 concerning the minimum requirements for self-exclusion policies. Any breach of this policy may be considered a violation of the aforementioned legislation.
Authority to process self-exclusions:
Closure requests from customers will be processed by Customer Support Representatives, Shift Leaders, and Team Leaders. Complex cases will be escalated to Management for review and processing. Management will monitor all closures on a monthly basis.