Communities Urged to Gamble Responsibly and Legally

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 23, 2017/APO/ -- 

Government loses revenue due to illegal gambling. Therefore, it is important for communities to gamble responsibly and legally. This was said by the Director of Gambling Law and Policy at the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), Mr Nkoatse Mashamaite. Mashamaite was speaking during the education and awareness campaign on the Liquor, National Gambling, Lotteries Amendment, National Credit, Consumer Protection, Copyright, Performers Protection, and Companies Acts that was held in Ga-Masemola village in Limpopo today.

Mashamaite, whose presentation unpacked the National Gambling Act, urged community members to treat gambling as entertainment and not a way to get rich quickly or to pay off debts but to gamble responsibly and legally. He cautioned the community against addiction from gambling, which he said would affect them negatively. According to Mashamaite, responsible gamblers know when to stop.

Mashamaite further outlined that any gambling activity not authorised in terms of the national and provincial legislation is illegal. This, he said, include betting on dog racing, online casino gambling, unlicensed casinos, cards, fafi and dice. He added that illegal gambling was associated with violence and anyone found to be gambling or providing gambling activities without being authorised in terms of the legislation in the country will be prosecuted criminally with possibility of a fine or imprisonment not exceeding R10 million or 10 years.

“Legal forms of gambling include casinos, limited payout machines, bingo, betting and lottery,” outlined Mashamaite.

The campaign, which will be rolled out across the country until February 2018, will proceed to Polokwane on Friday before it goes to KwaZulu-Natal next week.

Distributed by APO on behalf of The Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa.