Gambling Authority to set up rehabilitation facility
Pauline Dikuelo | Tuesday April 26, 2016 14:41
The rehabilitation facility will be built using the 15 percent monthly levy paid by the operators. Botswana has nine licensed casinos: three in Gaborone, two in Selebi-Phikwe and Francistown and one in Jwaneng and Lobatse.
According to the authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Tulisizwe Johnson they have a mandate to promote responsible gambling, noting that they were planning to build the facility that would rehabilitate excessive gamblers from becoming addicts.
“Even though we do not have any cases of excessive gamblers, we will be engaging operators to help us identify them so that they get help and in the meantime we will be using health professionals to help them,” he said.
Johnson added that they would be doing some research to understand more about the dangers of excessive gambling, as they will be relying more on the experts to help identify and help them.
The Gambling Authority’s mandate is to control the development of gambling in Botswana, issue licences, suspend and revoke those who violate the laws.
“We have also to ensure that when operators advertise gambling they must not over stimulate, hence the reason why we will be approving messages for advertisement to avoid over stimulation,” he said.
Johnson also said the Gambling Authority would ensure that about 80 percent of the money that comes through the competition should go back to the gamblers while the operator remains with 20 percent.
Johnson assured gamblers consumer protection. Operators will only be allowed to run a competition when they are properly funded. The authority has plans to drive the financial stability while creating a safe, ethical and diversified gambling.
The authority’s new regulations governing the operations of the gambling industry commenced this month. Under the regulations, casinos will pay P250, 000 for registration while betting horses will need P50,000, bingos and lotteries will pay P10,000 and P1 million.