The long awaited legislation introduced to the South African Parliament by Fungai Sibanda, the acting Director General of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to regulate and legalize online gambling, has run in to opposition from some other MPs. The bill proposed, the National Gambling Amendment was proposed as a way to prevent crime and to protect players, compulsive gamblers and underage gamblers.
However, good as the idea may sound, some MPs, led by ANC member Ben Turok protested the bill saying that the only reason that South Africa should regulate online gambling, or interactive gambling, as the bill calls it, should be to abolish or restrict it. They tend to see it as a moral issue, gambling being a "social evil." In fact, the opposing MPs have said that legalizing online gambling will be like making money out or prostitution.
The piece of legislation tends not to be critical enough of gambling. Many MPs feel that when you have a social problem such as gambling, it is advisable to legislate to curb or ban it, not encourage it. Other MPs said that they would support the bill only if it is to be a step towards doing away with this unacceptable activity. Other MPs complained that all the gambling sites are owned by whites, and that blacks are impoverished by it.
In addition to protecting minors and vulnerable people from harm and exploitation, the Act provides for approval of interactive games, equipment and software, registration of players, dispute resolution and fair treatment of players. The bill also deals with advertising, licensing, compliance and enforcement, problem gambling, and money laundering. The regulatory requirements will also apply to software vendors located outside SA, who would also have to be licensed in South Africa, Muthwa said.
The National Gambling Amendment comes two years after results of a comprehensive international study conducted by a specially appointed commission of online gambling technology and jurisdictions was submitted to the South African government.
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