Stop shielding illegal gaming operators – Gaming Commission to Ghanaians

Gaming Commission has urged Ghanaians to stop shielding illegal gaming operators. The Commission is clamping down on illegal gaming operators in the country. The move according to the commission will ensure sanity in the gaming industry.

In a latest swoop in the Northern Region, about 27 Jackpot machines were confiscated from some illegal operators.

The joint swoops by the Gaming Commission and the Ghana Police Service revealed that although a number of these gaming centres are owned by foreigners, Ghanaians are running the businesses as managers.

Some of the Jackpot machines confisticated during the swoops

Speaking to JoyBusiness, Public Relations Officer of the commission Beatrice Baiden warned against such acts – where Ghanaians front for foreigners.

“Most drinking bar operators are approached by these foreigners, who in the end use their bars/ shops as centres for these jackpot machines’. Sometimes they also try to shield them during our swoops,” she said.

She sighted an example wherein Juapong (Volta Region) one illegal operator whose jackpot machines were confiscated, tipped an Okada rider with one GHs1 to go round the town to alert other illegal operators of the presence of the task force.

“Instances like this affect our operations. If we Ghanaians are helping them to run illegal businesses, then how will our nation go on,” she lamented.

She also advised Ghanaians who intend to do business on behalf of foreign investors to contact the commission before engaging with them.

Madam Baiden “Any Ghanaian who wishes to engage with such foreigners must first contact the Gaming Commission to find out if they are licensed or not otherwise they do so at their own risk.”

The series of joint swoop operations by the Gaming Commission and the Ghana Police Service are part of an initiative code-named V.I.RECT Operations.  The operation is expected to run across the ten regions of the country.