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What if public servants suffering from gambling addiction were excluded from salary raises and funds were directed to their parents or guardians instead? An Eswatini Senator is proposing a unique approach to tackling the rising cases of problem gambling in the country.
Senator Chief Mphatfwa has suggested that public servants, including police officers who engage with popular games like Aviator, should not receive salary increases. During a recent address at the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs’ Phase II budget discussions, he emphasized that those struggling with gambling would likely waste any additional income on betting.
He stated, “If it were according to me, all those who have Aviator in their phones would not be given Phase II, but that money should be given to their parents… because the money will be lost through gambling.”
The senator did not stop there; he also criticized mobile money vendors, shopkeepers, and salon workers, claiming they contribute to the growing rates of gambling addiction by misusing their employers’ funds to place bets.
Minister Warns About Aviator
Mphatfwa raised serious concerns regarding the country’s gambling landscape, particularly highlighting the rise of the game Aviator from Spribe.
He pointed out that while 17 gambling outlets received temporary permits to operate, no formal regulations were put in place to oversee their activities, leading to a rise in problem gambling and suicide rates.
“The people get addicted to gambling to an extent that most of the country’s population is playing Aviator. The ministry’s officials are also gambling, and this is no longer public but is now done in the comfort of one’s home. Once you lose, you just take your gun and commit suicide, just like there are many suicides recorded nowadays,” he stated.
Adding to the discussion, Senator Princess Ntfombi Yenkhosi highlighted the impact on children, revealing that some are skipping school or even stealing from their parents to support their gambling habits.
“I don’t know why we allowed this in the country because instead of making us rich and developing us, it is now a setback. Money is being lost to gambling, and we are saying something should be done so that our children do not become gambling addicts,” Yenkhosi added.
Senator Lorraine Nxumalo, who chairs the Portfolio Committee, echoed these sentiments, focusing on the detrimental effects of gambling in rural areas. She observed that families are falling apart as adults squander their savings on gambling, neglecting their responsibilities.
Source: FocusNGN
