Gambling addicts' days are numbered

Dependants and even the community will be able to report excessive gambling by individuals, who will then be banned from gambling establishments and casinos.

This is among a raft of measures aimed at stopping Namibians from neglecting households to feed their gambling habits, which were unveiled yesterday at a public consultative workshop on the draft regulations for the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act.

It was also revealed that only 256 gambling houses and six casinos were registered countrywide, which contributed N$40 million to state coffers through levies and fees last year.

An application for a casino licence costs N$80 000, while the annual licence fee is N$100 000. To apply for a gambling house licence costs N$10 000, while the annual fee is N$10 000.

All gambling houses will now have to register.





A grace period of six months will be given after the Act is promulgated for all gambling machines to be registered and linked to a central electronic monitoring system.

Speaking at the workshop, tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta said Namibians were complaining that people were gambling away all their money.

He said under the new law a dependant would be able to apply to the Gambling Board for a person to be blacklisted.

“The board has the power to take the matter to court, which will issue an order to this effect and all casinos and gambling houses will be notified.”

He said even in cases where community members felt the elderly were gambling away their monthly pensions, the matter could be reported to the board.

Shifeta said although the government recognised the positive impact the gambling industry could have on the GDP, about 99% of gambling machines in the country were unregistered and therefore illegal.

This meant that the government was losing out on income that it should have earned from these machines.

“These illegal gambling houses are robbing the nation. Those that are not registered will have six months to register.

“We will not arrest or charge a person during this time, but action will be taken after the grace period, because then you will be conducting an illegal activity.”

Shifeta explained that a device would be installed in all gambling machines and this technology would enable the machines to “report” their input and output to the central monitoring system.

“What belongs to Caesar must come to Caesar. You will get yours and the government will get theirs,” he said.

Shifeta said society must abandon the idea that the gambling industry promoted antisocial behaviour.

He said this was only true if the sector was not controlled and regulated.

“While not revoking our responsibility to control any negative circumstances that may arise, we must focus on the rewards that are to be achieved and the support that will be given to the growth of the Namibian economy.”

According to Shifeta the aim is to promote and regulate the industry in a more productive and positive light, and remove any stigma that exists.

“I wish to see a cultural change among stakeholders, as gaming needs to be viewed as an entertainment activity, and in so doing, redefine the industry; we can diversify sources of income for the state and the operators.”



Shifeta said the role of the gaming industry in facilitating Namibia's growth initiatives could not be overemphasised, as it provided decent-paying jobs and remitted taxes and fees to local and central government.



“We want to keep gaming crime free, make sure that gaming is fair and open, and we want the player as well as the licence holder, children and vulnerable adults not to be harmed or exploited.”



Shifeta said licence holders should consider the levies and fees as a win-win situation, taking into account the need for the state to generate revenue and the need for the industry to be sustainable.



Under the new Act there will be an electronic monitoring system, gambling inspectors with powers to arrest and seize assets and significant sentences for offenders.



Giving an overview of the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act, director of tourism and gaming Sem Shikongo said only 256 gambling house licences and six casino licenses had been issued in Namibia. Only five casinos were operational.



“There are, however, much more out there. We know that there are even gambling houses that are operating as casinos.”



Shikongo explained the Gambling Board to be established under the new Act would recommend to the minister the maximum number of licences that may be issued.



“It is therefore very important that during the grace period gambling machines are registered, because it will be based on this number that a decision will be made on how many licences can still be issued in a geographical area,” he said.

ELLANIE SMIT