Gamble responsibly - Gaming Commission urges at awareness month launch

The Gaming Awareness Month has been launched in Accra with a call on the public to gamble responsibly.

The Games Commissioner, Peter Mireku, said operators also had a duty to promote responsible gaming that protected players and the general public through continuous improvement of their systems.

“Our industry comes with a substantial weight of responsibility, and a priority area of discourse is responsible gaming.

“We can leverage technology to implement player protection measures that are tailor-made,” he added.

The commission, which is the regulator of games of chance in the country, dedicated the month of September as an awareness month to promote responsible gaming and also raise awareness of safer gaming tools, among other objectives.

The event is on the theme: “Embracing environmental, social and governance (ESG) for sustainable gaming Industry.”

Activities lined up for the campaign include media engagement, public awareness and community outreach, a workshop on gaming addiction, educational sessions for students on gaming addiction and mental health, a series of webinars on  the impact of gaming, a health walk and a sports competition.

Priority

Mr Mireku said that the gaming industry ought to operate in a manner that prioritised the environment and other social issues for sustainable development.

He said the organisation would continue to implement measures to protect the general public and ensure that gaming became a catalyst for economic growth and development.

“We continue to intensify efforts and challenge ourselves to create an environment where gaming can thrive for economic development and social good,” the commissioner said.

A board member of the commission, Ransford Kissi Appiah, also said that gaming operators must be at the forefront of ensuring that only eligible persons engage in such activities.

He said they must also implement measures to curb addiction.

“Let us have the courage to turn some people away; people we consider to be underage and people who have become problems to themselves due to gambling, including those we know are having a hard time putting things together. We should not only look at the inflows,” Mr Appiah said.

Appreciation

The Executive Secretary of the Gaming Association of Ghana, Fred Owusu, lauded the commission for working to address the business needs and concerns of members, especially by helping operators to become data protection and anti-money laundering compliant in line with the laws of the country.

Writer’s email: emma.hawkson@graphic.com.gh