ECGB destroys dozens of illegal gambling machines
Legal machines must return at least 80 per cent of money wagered. Illegal ones pay whatever the owner chooses, often close to nothing.
South Africa.- The Eastern Cape Gambling Board (ECGB) has destroyed dozens of illegal gambling machines to mark the start of Responsible Gambling Month held in November.
Workers used heavy equipment to crush the devices, known locally as “Chinese Roulette Machines”, at a secure site in Gqeberha. The machines had been seized during raids in taverns, barber shops and small tech stores across the province, including the former Transkei region.
Zuko Sydwell Phandle, the ECGB’s Manager for Audit and Compliance, led the operation. He told reporters at the site: “These machines cannot be registered or tested in any approved South African lab. We destroy them to make clear they have no place here.”
The ECGB says the devices cheat players. Legal machines must return at least 80 per cent of money wagered. Illegal ones pay whatever the owner chooses, often close to nothing.
Phandle noted: “People work hard for their money. These operators take it and give nothing back. They pay no tax and follow no rules.”
The board warned that landlords who rent space to illegal operators will now face charges.
Similar crackdowns have taken place in other provinces. In October 2025, the Gauteng Gambling Board carried out a raid in Yeoville that led to the seizure of six gambling machines and the arrest of six people.
As Responsible Gambling Month kicks off on November 1, the ECGB plans community talks and school visits to explain the difference between licensed betting and illegal games.
