Malawi Gaming Board (MGB) has advised all youths under the age of 18 to work hard in school and avoid engaging in gambling.
In an interview in Lilongwe, MGB senior compliance officer Mirriam Kumbuyo said most youths in the country waste time playing games.
“Many youths are frequenting casinos these days. They concentrate on gambling instead of studying,” she said.
Kumbuyo said the youth should know that betting is a game and is addictive. She advised that it is not an enterprise for them.
Kondwani Malata. a Standard Seven pupil at Mwenyekondo Primary school in Area 36, said most of the youth went to Premier Bet to earn money.
“Gambling is better than stealing. We do gambling to buy school items,” he said.
However, Lilongwe Police Station spokesperson Kingsley Dandaula advised the learners to stop gambling and appealed to parents to encourage their children to prioritise education. He also said it is illegal to practice gambling in undesignated places.
MGB is a parastatal mandated to regulate the gambling industry in Malawi and one of its responsibilities is to issue licences to gambling business proprietors. n
