The North West Gambling Board (NWGB) and Mooinooi South African Police Services (SAPS) destroyed 19 illegal Bingo Merry Roulette and cherry master gambling machines confiscated between June 2022 and January 2023 during the crime prevention operations conducted by the police in collaboration with the North West Gambling Board. The illegal machines were confiscated from Bapong, Modderspruit, Majakaneng and Mooinooi areas.
Mooinooi is a platinum and palladium mining town between Rustenburg and Brits. The town, like many others is targeted by illegal gambling operators to unsuspecting punters.
The confiscated machines were found in many of the unlicensed taverns and spaza shops owned mainly by foreign nationals from Ethiopia, Bangladesh and China. The perpetrators were arrested, issued with offence notice and all fined R2 500. An amount of R 14 207 was recovered from the machines and the money was handed over to the SAPS.
“The Board is determined to ensure that illegal gambling in general in the Province is eradicated and will stop at nothing to ensure that members of our societies especially young and vulnerable children are not exposed to any unsafe gambling brought into societies by these illegal operators. We call on all social activists from all walks of life to assist the Board and the police to ensure that our societies are safeguarded” said the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the North West Gambling, Mr Simon Mogapi
According to gambling laws of the Country, it is illegal to expose any gambling device to members of the public without the requisite license or authorization from a gambling Board and for persons under the age of 18 to gamble and it is concerning to witness children being exposed to such.
The public must be vigilant and not gamble in machines placed in spaza shops and unlicensed liquor outlets which are a stream feeding illegal operations like human trafficking, money laundering and other social ills.” Community members are urged to report such to the North West Gambling Board through the free hotline at 0860 545 545 or contact the nearest police station.
Enquiries:
Ms Tsholofelo Matlhadisa
Tel: 018 384 3215
Fax: 018 384 2290
Cell: 076 612 8688
Email: tjood@nwgb.co.za