Casino credit is out
2003-11-11 22:39
Cape Town - Legislation aimed at revamping the way gambling is regulated in South Africa was approved in the national assembly on Tuesday.
Although the National Gambling Bill is intended to replace the National Gambling Act of 1996, it re-enacts many of its provisions in a new form, while adding several new ones.
The bill addresses, among other things, the need for competition in the market by replacing the arbitrary limits on the number of casinos with a criteria-based system of regulation.
The criteria require the minister of trade and industry to balance competing considerations of a competitive marketplace, black economic empowerment, and the incidence and consequences of over-stimulation of gambling.
Another new provision is a system of voluntary and court-ordered exclusion of vulnerable persons from casinos to prevent them from gambling.
But this is subject to transitional provisions, which postpone use of such a system until a registry is established.
In terms of the bill, cautionary notices will have to be posted on licenced premises and on gambling advertisements, while such advertising will also be restricted.
The measure further bans the use of credit to pay for gambling, as well as the placement of automated teller machines (ATMs) in licenced premises.
Among other new provisions are the introduction of minimum daily closing hours; a ban on discounts for related services by licencees, such as free drinks, meals or accommodation; non-enforceability of gambling debts in certain instances; and the forfeiture of unlawful winnings.
The bill introduces a new scheme of national licences to avoid the need for certain licencees to seek multiple approvals in more than one province, and uniform licencing norms and standards applicable to provincial licences.
Licencing authorities will have to consider applicants' commitment to address the social consequences of gambling, and make licences subject to conditions in this respect, as well as monitor achievements by licencees.
Similar provisions are made for applicants' commitment to black economic empowerment.
Provisions concerning the registration of gambling machines and devices have been streamlined in the bill to establish a single national registry.
These will simply have to be registered at the time of import or manufacture.
- SAPA