Internet25.06.2015

Online gambling should be legal in South Africa: DA

By RDM News Wire

South Africa already considered gambling legal and remote gambling was a reasonable activity‚ therefore‚ it should not be criminalised‚ Democratic Alliance MP Geordin Hill-Lewis said on Thursday.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry has been listening to inputs on the Remote Gambling Bill as part of the process of public hearings on the bill which was introduced on May 26 by Hill-Lewis.

Committee chairperson Joanmariae Fubbs said the kind of society that government wanted to build in South Africa had never changed.

“We are the custodians of the youth and have to ensure that they remain on the right track. There are certain things we do not want our children to be exposed to at a young age‚ before their values have been developed.

“Alcohol and gambling are relevant to the maturity phase. They are good for you in moderation but excessive use is not good.”

Hill-Lewis‚ however‚ proposed a limitless number of licences to be available‚ and said he was concerned that South Africa was currently taking a legislative path that was “damaging”.

He also emphasised that the Web could not be blocked for any length of time‚ so prohibition would not work and therefore “regulation is more effective”.

Another committee member‚ Mr Bongani Mkongi of the African National Congress‚ emphasised the importance of the values in society embraced in the South African Constitution which sought to guide the youth and to process legislation guided by policy.

The Department of Trade and Industry said in response that the bill was not backed up by policy and that no regulatory impact study had been done.

The department also expressed concern that the bill did not show how minors would be protected as there would be no human element to verify their age online.

The department has put great emphasis on the socio-economic impact of remote gambling as it says it could lead to further indebtedness and greater poverty.

The committee now awaits the finalisation of the National Gambling Policy which is in the governmental consultation process. Once this is approved by Cabinet‚ it will be referred to Parliament and the committee will finalise its consideration of the Remote Gambling Bill.