Gambling takes its toll on KZN’s vulnerable

Balancing economic benefits with the urgent need for consumer protection in the gambling landscape

- THAMI MAGUBANE

AS GAMBLING tightens its grip on the KwaZulu-Natal’s gambling population, there are growing calls for more stringent regulations, especially for online gaming.

Gamblers Anonymous in KwaZu-lu-Natal has urged the government to take lessons from countries that do not allow online gambling. However, some members of the legislature argue that gambling is an economic activity and should be regulated rather than banned.

The discussion on this matter was reignited last week when members of the Economic Development Portfolio Committee in the provincial legislature expressed concern about the impact of gambling on the province's residents. The committee met with the KwaZulu-Natal Economic Regulatory Authority (KZNERA) to address this issue and several others.

The KZNERA revealed that it had generated close to R700 million from gambling activities over the past year. While committee members appreciate the revenue generated, they are extremely worried about the negative impact of gambling on the health of gamblers. They noted that ten individuals now require treatment as a result of their gambling activities.