MGB CEO to Pioneer International Gambling Laws

Bheki Mlambo, the MGB (Mpumalanga Gambling Board) CEO is not a man whose name is known by many players at South African online casinos and this may be because he has not yet had the chance to shine in his role. With a new title that will give him international acclaim though, he is sure to become one of the most influential men in the world of gaming, both online and offline. Mlambo recently became the first African, and South African, to have ever been elected president of the IAGR or International Association of Gambling Regulators.

This title alone should give you some idea of how influential Mlambo will be in the regulation of gambling worldwide and in fact, the organisation aims to standardise the way gambling jurisdictions present their offering to players. The organisation currently regulates gaming in 62 different jurisdictions, and Mlambo’s new role was confirmed during a meeting of the organisation in Peru. So what did Mlambo have to say about his sterling achievement? Well, he downplayed it somewhat stating that the win was not about his own achievements, but about the potential it could have for the MGB. He added that the work being done in Mpumalanga added to the decision to elect him president, and this seems to be obvious when you consider that the MGB is the only governmental institution in the entire province that has, year-on-year, earned the right for the Auditor General to issue clean audits.

Many are happy with the result of the election, but what they really want to know is what changes will Mlambo make to gambling law, if any. While it seems he won’t be making any big moves yet, Mlambo does state that the international industry is well ahead of South Africa in terms of remuneration for employees, a problem he is aiming to address. He has also stated that gambling will be rolled out to the entire Mpumalanga province, which will create the need for a careful balancing act, as responsible gambling will need to be enforced but the province will aim to collect the economic benefits of gambling.

Read more about South African gambling law

And as for online gambling, the gambling law in South Africa is not on the verge of change based on this appointment just yet, but players from the country may see a snowball effect occur countrywide should Mlambo have success with his plans for the province. Successes in Mpumalanga’s land-based casinos could see a plan to rollout more extensive gambling online to boost the province’s economy, and this in turn could provide an ideal example for the national government to encourage more SA online casinos to offer their wares to players and play their part in driving the country’s economy.

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