African Responsible Gaming Network launches to strengthen player protection
New pan-African network brings together responsible gaming organisations, advocates, researchers and treatment professionals.
South Africa.- The African Responsible Gaming Network (ARGN) has launched as a pan-African initiative aimed at strengthening player protection and preventing gambling-related harm across the continent. The network brings together representatives from South Africa, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia, Cameroon, Uganda and Eswatini, according to the launch announcement.
Lebogang Seoheng, advocacy and communications manager at the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF), has been appointed President of ARGN. SARGF announced the appointment as part of the network’s launch.
SARGF said ARGN will provide a platform to “share knowledge, strengthen research, connect people to support, inform policy and develop solutions that reflect the realities of African communities.”
The network’s work will cover research, treatment and recovery, policy, player protection, education, and coordinated prevention campaigns.
The network’s initial priorities include an African gambling-harm insight brief, bringing together research and emerging trends from different markets. It will also compile a directory of treatment and support services, while working on policy recommendations and awareness campaigns across African jurisdictions.
Gamble Aware Nigeria, GamblePause Initiative Africa and SARGF are among ARGN’s founding members. Ladipo Abiose Akolade, founder of GamblePause Initiative Africa, said ARGN was created to improve cooperation between organisations working on gambling harm across African markets.
Akolade said the network aims to promote “common principles rather than identical regulations”, recognising that African countries have different legal frameworks, cultures and levels of market development.
He said he would like to see stronger age and identity verification, meaningful self-exclusion, responsible-gambling advertising standards, improved access to counselling and treatment, and stronger action against illegal operators. Akolade also said the network aims to establish minimum player-protection standards across African markets.
SARGF said the initiative is intended to create stronger systems around people and families affected by gambling harm and ensure that countries across Africa do not have to address these challenges alone.
