MAGLA takes action to train operators on responsible gaming
The Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority (MAGLA) recently kicked off a two-day workshop dedicated to educating gaming and betting operators on responsible gambling practices. The initiative is a demonstration of MAGLA’s dedication to ensuring that all operators in the industry are aligned with set responsible gambling rules, promoting a secure gaming environment for players across Malawi.
A commitment to responsible gambling
At the opening of the workshop in Salima, Malawi’s board chairperson, Fredrick Changaya, highlighted the importance of sensitising operators on their role in conducting various gaming and betting activities. “This training workshop is to ensure that operators understand their responsibility as they operate various gaming and betting activities. So far, we have done well as an authority. This is not the first training workshop that we have had with them,” he stated.
The regulator’s continuous work in encouraging responsible gambling encompasses more than training. Changaya added, “We also have regular stakeholder engagement to ensure that we impart the necessary knowledge not only for operators but also for the players themselves to know the downside of gambling.” The comprehensive approach is to train both operators and players, with a focus on understanding the risks of gambling.
Insights from industry experts
The workshop has drawn different participants, such as Madalitso Gongwa, the Company Manager at Mini Monte Gaming Limited. Gongwa expressed his high expectations for the training, underlining the necessity for operators to market responsible gambling values. “Gambling is for entertainment and fun, but due to our socioeconomic status, most individuals are treating it as a means of income,” he clarified. “As operators, we need to be at the forefront to tell and advise people that gambling is for fun.”
Gongwa also noted the valuable knowledge that can be learned from the workshop, particularly from the South African professional facilitators. “We expect to learn more from South Africa, where these facilitators come from,” he indicated, in the hope that the experiences and how they deal with responsible gambling in South Africa can be shared for the benefit of operators in Malawi.
Goals of the training programme
The training covers key topics such as the understanding of problem gambling, recognising the signs of problem gambling and gambling addiction, and their impact on people and society. Through empowering the operators with the tools and information required to promote responsible gambling, MAGLA hopes to reduce the consequences associated with gambling and promote a culture of responsible gaming in Malawi.
This emphasis on responsible gaming is essential as the industry evolves and develops. Given that operators have an intimate relationship with gamers, the training highlights their responsibility in steering clients toward safe gaming practices.
MAGLA’s commitment to training operators on responsible gambling is an important move towards establishing an educated and responsible gaming industry in Malawi. By engaging proactively with operators, offering training materials, and encouraging discussions of social concerns surrounding gambling, MAGLA aims to create a platform for responsible gaming that safeguards players and promotes healthy participation in the game industry.
This ongoing programme is not only targeting operators but also trying to raise the standard of gaming operations in Malawi, thereby making sure that gambling remains a form of entertainment and not a risky endeavour for individuals and communities.
