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Edward Zvemisha, Herald Reporter
The decades-old menace of illegal gambling continues almost unabated despite the opening of properly regulated and managed sports betting outlets, exacerbating the existing drug and substance abuse crisis.
The illegal gambling continues to exist at the edges of society.
The Herald, on the lookout in central Harare, witnessed a dice game, where two players threw two dice each, with the highest total winning the pot.
Each round cost a minimum of US$5, with the winner receiving money from the next competitor, while the “knoxman” (organiser) kept the rotation money.
In our presence, one player lost at least US$100 in a single round, indicating he was a regular.
To gain more insight, our crew expressed interest in playing, revealing the vast amounts of money involved.
One player chuckled, asking, “Are you sure, my brother?”
Without fully understanding the game, our team lost the first round and retreated to the sidelines to observe.
As we watched, we noticed that most players were informal traders, illegal foreign currency traders or business owners. It became clear that this was a game for “street dealers” who could afford to lose large sums of money without flinching and more importantly knew how to avoid any traps.
One player joked: “Hapamihwe mihwe apa, panochohwa chohwa munhu” (“Don’t mill around here, or you’ll get beaten”), implying that losing money was a real risk.
Our team soon discovered that there was a “game within a game.”
Players could make side bets, known as “haudariki” or “haupfuure,” where they would wager on passing a total of seven.
This meant that players could bet additional amounts beyond the minimum US$5, as long as there was opposition.
As the night wore on, the atmosphere became frenzied, with at least US$1 000 in rotation.
Players and spectators bet wildly, cheering and chanting “Haupfure, ndati haupfure!” (“You can’t pass, I’ll pass!”).
In this high-stakes world, gamblers risk life-changing amounts of money with reckless abandon. When pockets run dry, “loan sharks” offer quick cash at exorbitant interest rates, demanding collateral like electronic gadgets or valuables. “Ndiisewo ka mumupopo” (“I need a loan”), one gambler begged, highlighting the desperation.
Despite the volatile atmosphere, the “knoxman” maintains control, preventing violence from erupting. However, the proliferation of illegal gambling activities like dice, snooker and poker among youths has alarming consequences.
Many people fall into debt or resort to theft to fund their gambling habits, mirroring the devastating effects of drug and substance abuse.
The gambling epidemic promotes addiction, rowdy behaviour, social isolation, stress, and anxiety, as players obsess over their next bet.
Urgent action is needed to address this growing pandemic, protecting vulnerable individuals from the clutches of illegal gambling.
Online Reporter