Online Reporter
Takudzwa Mangrozah and Obey Musiwa
The Lotteries and Gaming Board has encouraged people to engage in responsible gambling while keeping the environment clean.
Speaking last Friday, when the lotteries, betting and gaming sector joined the nation in observing the National Clean‑up Campaign in Harare, Lotteries and Gaming Board (LGB) acting compliance manager Dr Misheck Chingozha said it was critical for communities to take responsibility for improving their surroundings and maintaining a safe and habitable environment.
“As a people, wherever we are stationed in life, we need to have lenses that allow us to look at life intently and responsibly,” said Dr Chingozha.
He noted that improving communities starts with the right attitude and collective effort from citizens.
“We all need to apply ourselves towards making our environs safer, better and more habitable. The power to promote peace and stability within our communities is within us,” he said.
Dr Chingozha explained that the LGB and the gaming industry joined the clean‑up campaign in response to President Mnangagwa’s call for organisations and citizens to participate in national environmental initiatives.
“As the Lotteries and Gaming Board and the gaming industry, we believe the power to transform our environs is within us.
“This conviction has motivated us to heed the call by the Head of State to leave our offices and make a difference in one of the streets in our beautiful city,” he said.
He emphasised that protecting the environment is essential, as human survival depends on it.
“What we need to understand is that the environment does not need man, yet man cannot live without the environment,” said Dr Chingozha.
He also took the opportunity to urge the public to practise responsible gambling when visiting gaming sites, stressing that it should be treated strictly as a form of entertainment.
“As a matter of principle, let us engage in gaming for fun and entertainment. When gambling is taken as a livelihood, it has the potential to cause harm,” he said.
He warned that gambling could lead to financial difficulties if individuals try to recover losses through continued betting.
“When you lose, learn to have the discipline to walk away,” said Dr Chingozha, who also cautioned people against visiting unlicensed gambling sites, noting that participating in illegal gaming activities is an offence.
Gamblers were also advised to use only money they can afford to lose, and to avoid using funds meant for essential needs.
“Money for school fees, rentals, and groceries should never be taken to a betting shop,” he said.
This comes at a time when the country has recorded several reports of people committing suicide after losing money through gambling.
The clean‑up campaign drew participation from various groups, including representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Geo Pomona, and gaming companies.
