Gaming commission fights illicit gaming to protect children

The Gaming Commission of Ghana says it has taken steps aimed at fighting illegal gaming operations as well as protecting children from being exposed to gambling.

The Commission says it seeks to ensure that the gaming industry is safe, especially for children.

Speaking to TV3 on Midday Live, Wednesday the deputy commissioner of the Gaming Commission, Kobby Annan, reiterated that the Commission is working around the clock to ensure the safety of children.

“Our rational is commitment and the reaffirmation to make sure that we sanitise the industry to prevent illegal operators from exposing children to gaming”, he said.

Mr. Annan noted there has been an improvement in their efforts towards safeguarding children, but added the commission needs public support.

“We also engage in perception survey and follow up with a survey to know what our actions will be, but still we realised that though its catching on slowly, we’ll also need the media and the public at large and other law enforcement agencies to make sure that we achieve our aim”, he said.

Mr. Anna revealed as part of a campaign to flash out all illegal operators from the system as well as ensure that children of school going age are kept in a classroom, the commission recently confiscated about 200 slot gaming machines and destroyed them.

“We have some registered operators who also expose these machines to children’s patronage which our act frowns upon”, he added.

He added that his outfit is collaborating with the BNI to sanitise the industry.