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Limpopo confiscates 337 illegal gambling machines ‘owned by foreign nationals’
The income generated from these illegal machines is used to fund criminal activities, said the MEC.
Picture: Screenshot of SABC video
The Limpopo department of economic development, environment and tourism has confiscate 337 illegal gambling machines allegedly owned by foreign nationals in the province’s five districts.
MEC Rodgers Monama said the owners of the machines must immediately be forced out of the province “bleeding, limping, bruised and crying”. All the confiscated machines were disposed of.
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The department said this illegal practice was spreading like wildfire in the province. Monama noted that the owners of the machines seldom banked their money in the country.
Illegal gambling affects economy
The Waterberg region led the pack with 119 illegal gambling machines, followed by Sekhukhune with 73, Mopani with 55, Capricorn with 48 and Vhembe with 42.
“As we spend sleepless nights, burning midnight oil, trying to nip the economic downturn in the bud, illegal gambling machines remain the key stumbling block in our journey to transform ours into an economy that creates jobs for our people,” he said during the launch of Responsible Gambling Month in November in Polokwane on Wednesday.
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“We must, therefore, remain resolute and force the owners of these machines out of our province bleeding, limping, bruised and crying,” he said.
The propensity to gamble is highest in relation to sports betting at bookmaker sites, followed by casinos, limited pay-out machines and bingo. The population group that gambles the most is between 18 and 29 years old, followed by the 50 to 65 and above age group.
The MEC said it was perplexing that the elderly spent their pension and grant money on gambling. In terms of marital status, Monama said the category that was found to gamble the most were those who were single followed by widows while the third category was married persons.
In terms of employment status, it was found that 81.1% of grant recipients gamble, 80.9% of students respondents gamble, followed by the unemployed (looking for work) at 71.3% and 69.8% of the unemployed (not looking for work).
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“Limpopo needs to send a strong message that the province is not a happy hunting ground for illegal activities.
“In the past we showed mercy by imposing fines on illegal gamblers. “Unfortunately, this is not working in our favour,” the MEC said.
The former chair of the standing committee on public accounts at the Limpopo Legislature said his department was also worried about another new gambling trend in the province.
New trend
He said recently the department, working with the police, had arrested a further 12 suspects in the Mopani district in Phalaborwa and Groblersdal for illegal online gambling. The trend, Monama said, was becoming a headache for the sector throughout South Africa.
“In the first half of the 2023- 24 financial year, the Limpopo Gambling Board law enforcement unit, in collaboration with the provincial SA Police Service, confiscated 435 illegal gambling machines.
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“More are expected to be seized in the remaining six months of the financial year.”
This figure surpassed the 477 illegal machines confiscated throughout the entire 2022-2023 financial year.
“We have to come out guns blazing to stop this before it spreads further. The income generated from these illegal machines is used to fund criminal activities, such as illegal cigarettes, illegal mining and human trafficking,” the MEC added.
– news@citizen.co.za
