Illegal gambling mushrooms in shopping centres
The Casino Association of South Africa (Casa) is calling on South Africans to be wary of illegal gambling establishments and urging the public to report any suspected illegal gambling operations.
Casa represents the interests of the country’s legal casino industry, as well as the public that the industry serves, and it warns that the scourge of illegal gambling operations is growing by the day.
By raising awareness of how people can spot a casino that is operating without a licence, Casa aims to protect patrons and the legal gambling industry at large.
There are a number of clues that the public should look out for to determine whether an establishment is legal or not. As required by gambling legislation in all provinces in South Africa, a licensed establishment must prominently display the word “casino” on the exterior of the licensed premises where gambling takes place and the trading name must include the word “casino” at all times in all its communications. In addition, a licensed casino must also display its casino licence in a conspicuous place on the licensed premises. If an establishment does not meet these requirements, it is operating without a licence and should be reported. Not only do illegal gambling op- erations not take steps to provide a safe and secure environment for their customers, but they also expose them to prosecution. Online gambling, for example, is a fastgrowing criminal industry yet the majority of the public is unaware that all online gambling is against the law in South Africa, even if the operator is based outside the country. This leaves unwitting players open to criminal prosecution, where they could be liable to pay a fine of up to R10 million or receive a prison sentence of up to 10 years, or both. Similarly, patrons of all forms of illegal gambling operations risk prosecution.
Interestingly, the percentage of illegal online gambling taking place on personal computers and devices is relatively small when compared with the more organised illegal gambling operations.
Often set up in shopping centres and masquerading as internet cafes or lounges, these operations include banks of touch screen computers running off software smuggled from abroad. Darkened windows and security checks at the door should set off alarm bells to property owners and customers. The South African Police Service has conducted raids on these types of operations based on tip-offs from the public.