The Zimbabwe Lotteries and Gaming Board (LGB) took part in the nationwide clean-up campaign, the National Clean-Up Campaign, in central Harare. The head of the regulator used the occasion to draw a parallel between civic responsibility for keeping the city clean and responsible gambling. The statement drew particular attention against the backdrop of alarming reports of financial tragedies linked to losses.
Volunteers in the city centre
The event took place on Friday, 6 March, in central Harare. Participants collected litter in public areas as part of a large-scale national programme aimed at keeping urban spaces clean and encouraging residents to take part in joint improvement efforts.
Volunteers from the gambling sector, officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, the company Geo Pomona, and other organisations joined the clean-up. Their participation formed part of a broader government-led initiative supported by both state bodies and private business.
The President’s call and the regulator’s position
According to LGB Chief Executive Officer Dr Misheck Pachipano Chingozi, the gaming industry joined the community clean-up in response to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call to support environmental initiatives. Dr Chingozi stressed that communities have a duty to take active steps to improve their living environment and thereby strengthen their social and economic well-being.
Describing care for the environment and gambling behaviour as manifestations of personal and collective responsibility, the head of the LGB linked both topics in a single idea: improving living conditions begins with the right mindset of each individual. Taking part in the clean-up, in his view, was an opportunity to remind people about discipline, which is equally necessary in everyday life and when gambling.
Entertainment, not a way to make money
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Dr Chingozi’s key point was unequivocal: gambling should be seen exclusively as a leisure activity. When a player begins to view betting as a source of income, the risk of harm increases many times over. Financial stress, a debt spiral, and loss of livelihood become almost inevitable companions of such an approach.
The head of the regulator left one direct recommendation that became, perhaps, the most quoted part of his speech: “To avoid harm, have the discipline to walk away after a loss.” He set out the rest of the advice less categorically, but just as clearly:
- Only wager an amount whose loss will not affect your quality of life.
- Money intended to pay for tuition, rent, or groceries should never, under any circumstances, be turned into a gambling bankroll.
Unlicensed platforms are illegal
A separate warning concerned unlicensed gambling sites. Dr Chingozi reminded that visiting such resources and taking part in illegal gambling is an offence under Zimbabwe’s gambling laws. The LGB strongly urges choosing only legal platforms whose operations are overseen by the regulator.
An additional advantage of licensed gambling platforms is that they actively implement the core principles of responsible gambling. They may offer a player from Zimbabwe, Mexico, or New Zealand free cash on registration at casinos, as well as other bonuses and promotions, but with a mandatory disclaimer stating that gambling is not a way to make money, but entertainment. On a licensed platform, a player can use self-exclusion for a few weeks or months, or permanently. They can also set a deposit limit or time limit.
A troubling backdrop
The LGB head’s statements were not made in isolation. In Zimbabwe, cases of severe financial hardship caused by losses are being recorded, and reports are also emerging of suicides linked to gambling debts. This context makes prevention efforts especially relevant and explains why the regulator uses every public opportunity to promote the idea of responsible behaviour.
LGB’s plans for the near future
The regulator intends to continue information campaigns and strengthen cooperation with market operators. The goal remains unchanged: to entrench standards of responsible behaviour in the industry and make them the norm rather than the exception.
