Are gambling advertisements putting minors at risk?
Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau stated that the National Gambling Act prohibited the placing of gambling advertisement in the media primarily directed at persons under the age of 18.
Image: Supplied
Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau said the National Gambling Board has found that several advertising and marketing practices by gambling operators did not fully comply with the framework of responsible gambling messaging and protecting minors.
Tau said the review by the National Gambling Board found instances of inadequate display of responsible gambling warnings.
'This is done by a number of players, both on online platforms and in public advertisements. There is also exposure to minors,' he said.
He was responding to oral questions sponsored by Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana on Friday, when he enquired whether the recent advertising and marketing campaigns by gambling and betting companies comply with the National Gambling Act.
Gana also wanted to know whether he has found that the lack of National Gambling Policy Council meetings since March 2018 has contributed to the gambling crisis and lack of accountability in the gambling and betting sector.
In his response, Tau stated that the National Gambling Act prohibited the placing of gambling advertisement in media primarily directed at persons under the age of 18.
'The board has noted that advertisements have been frequently aired during family viewing times, including during popular shows such as MasterChef and Junior MasterChef,' he said.
'Gambling advertising has been observed on radio streaming websites and platforms, such as YouTube, often without responsible gambling disclaimers. And there's the issue of sponsorship.
'The sponsorship of family-friendly programmes by major bookmakers increases the visibility and frequency of gambling advertisements during television content that is widely consumed by minors,' he said.
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According to Tau, the National Gambling Board has engaged with the provincial gambling boards on the said contraventions and intends to advise the National Gambling Policy Council at the next meeting.
'I have instructed the department to convene the National Gambling Policy Council without further delay so that there are coordinated efforts and evaluation on all the challenges,' he said.
The National Gambling Policy Council, which is mandated to consult on the determination and establishment of the national gambling policy and laws, last held its meeting in March 2018.
This takes place as the National Gambling Board has been without a board since September 2014.
Tau said his department has initiated the process of appointing a board and a CEO to stabilise governance at the National Gambling Board.
Asked about plans to regulate online gambling, Tau said there was an intention to regulate the space of online gambling.
'Of course, it is an environment in which different provinces have taken different approaches, and in certain instances, some of the provinces have promoted such online gambling practices.
'So it certainly is our intention to intervene in that regard, but also to ensure the implementation of rehabilitation of edits to gambling in a coordinated manner with the provinces.'
Gana noted with concern that advertising by betting companies was seen even on the screens in the offices of the Department of Home Affairs.
'I don't know where the next stop is going to be. As the custodian of gambling in South Africa, the National Gambling Act, how does that make you feel when you see this gambling at the Home Affairs, gambling, I mean, advertising 24 hours a day? And what are you going to do about this to ensure that South Africans are protected from this proliferation of gambling and sports betting advertisements?' asked Gana.
Tau said they were extremely concerned about the proliferation of advertisements for gambling in public places and in spaces that were accessible to underage children.
'Two things that need to happen and that's part of what we'll be discussing in the policy council. The first is about enhanced enforcement of existing regulations, a lot of which are within the purview of the provincial gambling board,' he said.
'We need to ensure that there is enhanced enforcement and coordination by the national government of the enforcement initiatives in the provinces. The second is an enhancement of the regulatory framework.
'So we do intend to review the regulations in line with the study that we have done, which indicates the gaps that have been identified among others in the study, but also by indicating the gaps that have been identified,' he said.
Gana said their position was that the admission by Tau on flouting of advertising and marketing regulations by gambling operators was not enough.
'There have to be proper, clear regulations that are in line with the National Gambling Act that the minister must publish so that anyone who operates in that space must know what is the right way of advertising.
'That is why we have a petition that is currently on the go where we are asking South Africans to support our petition for the formulation of clear regulations insofar as gambling and sports betting advertising,' he said.
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za
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