Lifetime Achievement Award for Serobi Maja

POLOKWANE – Well-known administrator and former CEO of the Limpopo Gambling Board, Serobi Maja recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation at a glittering gala dinner that was hosted by Hollywood Bets at Emperor’s Palace in Gauteng.

Maja was also the guest speaker and said the aim of the occasion was to reflect on and commemorate 20 years of responsible gambling in South Africa.

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Maja explained that the new minister of Trade, Industry and Competition has already started processes to appoint board members to the various entities falling under his department.

“I am hopeful that these appointments will be a step in the right direction. The new National Gambling Board will have to strain every nerve to carry out its mandate to the fullest potential and address the various matters that remained unattended for the many years that we did not have a National Gambling Board in the country,” he said.

According to Maja, the National Gambling Act of 2004 provides a framework for regulating gambling activities in the country.

“There are, however, areas of concern that need to be improved upon. For instance, the current legislation does not specifically address online betting which has become increasingly popular and is the most preferred mode of gambling today. Regulations governing online gaming are somewhat ambiguous and need to be improved upon to reflect the current landscape of the industry,” Maja said.

He added that, while the National Act touches on responsible gambling practices, the new board must strengthen provisions related to player protection, problem gambling prevention and ensure that operators adhere to strict responsible gambling measures.

“With the advancement of technologies such as virtual gaming, cryptocurrency gaming and gamification, the national act may have to be amended to regulate these emerging forms of gambling in order to ensure that they are in line with legislation and additional measures may be necessary to protect consumers from fraudulent practices and to ensure fair gameplay and enhance transparency in the gambling sector,” Maja said and added that there may be a need to review and revise the tax structure for gambling operators in order to ensure that it is fair and balanced for both the industry and the government.

“As we celebrate the 20 years of the existence of the Responsible Gambling Foundation, let us hold each other accountable when it comes to responsible gambling practices. Legislation may take a while to amend, however as an industry and as regulators, we can continue to put agreed measures in place to ensure a protected, healthy and well-balanced industry that generates profits but takes care of the potential harmful effects, that to me come as unintended consequences of profit making,” Maja concluded.