ILLEGAL gambling cheats the South African economy of billions of rands in taxes every year.
As a result, Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) MEC Rodgers Monama has destroyed 240 illegal gambling machines.
The machines were confiscated from illegal operators in the province and destroyed on Wednesday, 31 May in Ladine, Polokwane.
The illegal gambling machines were confiscated from spaza shops owned by foreign nationals in rural areas and taverns with expired documentation.
Limpopo Gambling Board and the police led the operation.
MEC Monama said during the 2022/23 financial year, they destroyed 382 illegal gambling machines, 156 in July and 226 in November.
“The illegal gambling machines rob the provincial fiscus of the much-needed revenue as the generated income fund other criminal activities such as illegal mining, human trafficking and illegal cigarettes.
“In other instances, the cash generated is transferred to other provinces and even outside the borders of South Africa,” said Monama.
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He said the ownership trend of such illegal gambling machines is alarming.
It has been revealed that gambling machines are distributed, especially in the evening, to spaza shops within townships and villages.
Monama has called on all Limpopo people to use only registered or documented gaming and gambling facilities because the machines fund criminal activities and the illegal cigarette market.
“Such funds are also transferred outside the borders of South Africa illegally and, as such, impacts negatively on our economy,” said the MEC.
