Durban - The prospect of Electronic Bingo Terminals (EBTs) for KwaZulu-Natal dominated a public hearing on changes to gambling laws with those against saying addicts needed protection and existing casinos saying a legal framework was needed.
The hearing was held in Durban and included representatives from civic, religious, welfare and political bodies.
Most at the hearing were unhappy with proposed changes to the KZN Gaming and Betting Amendment Bill, 2015. Objections to the Bill were filed to the Finance Portfolio Committee.
The most vocal was the People’s Forum against EBTs. The forum’s legal representative, Stephan Franke, submitted that before any decision, the government should ensure the public would not be harmed.
Franke said their objective was to ensure the protection of the public from “over stimulation” of the “latent demand” for gambling and to prevent an over proliferation of gambling and the increase in addiction.
“The spirit of ubuntu should flow into the gambling legislation. It is the forum’s contention that EBTs are unlawful because the legislation and the national regulator for Compulsory Specifications does not make it a requirement to have measures in place to assist compulsive gamblers, and it does not offer consumer protection,” Franke said.
The forum asked for an amendment to force the board to conduct research into gambling every five years .
Further submissions were the inclusion of additional clauses prohibiting gaming machines in shopping malls within 5km of a church, school or pension payout centre.
ANC councillors, the SA National Civic Organisation, Cosatu and other community-based organisations completely objected to the bill.
The ANC’s councillor for Phoenix, Brandon Pillay said: “These applicants who want to bring these machines to our doorsteps should take their equipment somewhere else.”
Portia Baloyi, KZN Gaming and Betting chief executive, said there were no EBTs operating in the province, and that all the applications were for licensing. “Application for a BET licence is one thing and operating the machines involves another process, which requires another application,” she said.
Advocate Themba Ngobese, chief executive of the Casino Association of SA (Casa), said it would be “irresponsible” of the provincial government to roll out the operation of the EBTs without an existing national framework.
Casa represents licensed casino operators countrywide.
“We need to ensure that these machines are not rolled-out without the framework. No policy has yet been determined in relation to the roll-out of the EBTs in the country.”
The MEC provided assurances that no EBTs would be operational in the province until both the regulations made under the KZN Gaming and Betting Act 2010, and the tax formula and tax rate on Bingo were amended.
Sipho Nkosi, chairman of the committee reserved comment as the objections were still to be discussed.
Daily News