The Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour has revived the process of processing the National Gambling Amendment Bill.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Mr Mandla Rayi, said there were challenges that resulted in the Bill not being finalised by the Fifth Parliament. “Three provinces, all of which have metros, objected to the Bill. One province abstained and two supported it. Mandates were not received from the rest of the provinces. The process had almost been completed. That has never occurred in the history of the National Council of Provinces,” he said.
When the matter was relooked and how to take the process further, it was agreed that the process be taken afresh. The Department of Trade and Industry (Dti) re-tabled the Bill and said it supported the decision of the committee to start the process afresh.
Dti’s Deputy Director-General: Corporate, Consumer and Regulatory Division, Dr Evelyn Masoja, said the Bill flows from recommendations of the Gambling Review Commission that was set up to look into the future of gambling. “The country has challenges on overstimulation. Gambling remains a challenge, and protecting society from overstimulation of gambling remains a priority. There is a need to supervise the industry and have measures and controls in place through legislation to curb illegal gambling.”
She said transformation of the sector was an imperative as it contributed immensely on the economy, and provincial economies.
Members sought clarity on provincial powers that seemed to be submerged and centralised nationally. Members raised concerns about online gambling and wanted to know if it could be regulated. Clarity was also sought on the National Gambling Board being put under administration, and the reasons for it.
Dr Masoja clarified that provinces will not lose their autonomy when it comes to controlling gambling operations, but that oversight had been centralised to national. She clarified that online gambling is not allowed in the country, and that this was something that needed to be looked into. “The view from research indicated that online gambling may allow for greater returns, but could not contribute meaningfully to job creation,” she said.
The rationale for the Bill is to provide for forfeiture of unlawful wining and to enhance the powers of the national inspectorate to curb illegal gambling activities, among other things.
Gauteng has the largest share of gambling activity, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape respectively.
By Sibongile Maputi
16 July 2019
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