Eastern Cape Gambling Board Proposes Workplace Gambling Prevention Pilot Across Africa
The Eastern Cape Gambling Board (ECGB) has proposed a 12-month workplace gambling prevention pilot aimed at testing a responsible gambling model within willing African public-sector organisations.
Presented by ECGB Head of Strategy Luvuyo Tshoko at the 17th GRAF Annual Conference in Maputo, the proposal responds to the growing accessibility of mobile and online gambling and the need for prevention efforts to extend beyond traditional awareness campaigns.
The pilot would focus on responsible gambling education, early identification and referral, confidential support, and workplace-level risk reviews. Managers would receive training to recognise potential signs of gambling-related harm and refer employees to appropriate support services, without diagnosing or disciplining them.
The first three months would focus on establishing the pilot structure, reviewing existing policies and setting confidentiality safeguards. Months four to eight would involve manager training, employee communication and integrating gambling-related content into financial wellness programmes. The final four months would assess anonymised trends, the feasibility of the approach and areas for improvement.
Tshoko stressed that employee privacy and labour rights must remain protected, with support processes kept separate from disciplinary procedures. He also cautioned that low disclosure would not necessarily indicate low levels of harm, while increased referrals could reflect greater trust in available support systems.
The proposal calls for collaboration among employers, regulators, operators and labour representatives, with GRAF expected to use lessons from the pilot to develop an adaptable workplace responsible gambling standard for African markets.
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