Exclusive: Promoting Responsible Gaming through Player Protection & Regulatory Compliance
In an industry where trust, transparency, and player protection are paramount, robust oversight is the foundation that keeps gambling system fair and accountable. In an exclusive interview with iGaming AFRIKA Magazine, Zuko Phandle, Manager: Audit and Compliance at Eastern Cape Gambling board reflects on the Board’s clean audit streak, technology-driven risks, and the collaborative fight to protect vulnerable communities from unregulated gaming.
iGaming AFRIKA: Could you please briefly introduce yourself and what you do?
Zuko Phandle: I am Zuko Phandle (MPHIL (Master of Philosophy) – IT Governance, Nelson Mandela University), working for the Eastern Cape Gambling Board in South Africa as the Manager: Audit and Compliance, responsible for three critical regulatory units, namely:
- Inspections, Law Enforcement, Responsible Gambling and Public – ensure continuous compliance with laws, regulations, rules, and conditions of licence, eradicate illegal gambling, handle patron complaints & disputes, registration and deregistration of gambling equipment, as well as drive initiatives that ensure responsible gambling.
- Audit & Compliance Services – ensure financial integrity i.e., revenue collected by the Board (taxes and fees), as well as continuous compliance with laws, regulations, rules, and conditions of licence, and analysis of annual financial statements of licensees.
- Gaming Control, Regulatory Affairs and Systems – approvals of Gambling & Betting Systems, software, contingencies, and related equipment, conduct systems (web, app, etc.) audits and reviews, analyse and review industry systems resilience (penetration and vulnerability and information security management reviews), as well as ensure continuous compliance with laws, regulations, rules, and conditions of licence.
iGaming AFRIKA: You lead the Audit and Compliance function at the Eastern Cape Gambling Board. How has your approach to compliance evolved in response to recent industry trends especially with technology and unregulated gaming activities?
Zuko Phandle: As the ECGB, as early as 2015 we transitioned from a compliance focus to a Risk-based Approach regulation which is founded on but not limited to, Agility, dynamism, collaborations with like-minded stakeholders. This has matured with years and technological evolution, despite the economic climate that impacts on financial resources. This mindset has helped, and continues to help, from strategic direction down to operations and back up to vision.
iGaming AFRIKA: The Eastern Cape Gambling board recently celebrated 11 years of clean audit outcomes. From your perspective, what internal governance practices have been most critical to maintaining compliance integrity year after year?
Zuko Phandle: As the ECGB, we pride ourselves on great and visionary leadership under the stewardship of the Accounting Officer, the Chief Executive Office Mr. Reuben Mabutho Zwane. Also, this can be attributed to the stability at the Board (Accounting Authority) level which has ensured that the Executive discharges its tasks without fear or interference. Lastly, the human capital sourced by the leadership is also another aspect which demonstrates the visionary leadership referred to earlier.
iGaming AFRIKA: You recently led the destruction of dozens of illegal gambling machines in the province. Can you share key challenges ECGB faces in identifying and combating “Chinese Roulette” and other unregulated devices, and how enforcement strategy might adapt going forward?
Zuko Phandle: Firstly, thank you for the coverage of this event we truly appreciate. The Eastern Cape province is a big, rural and scattered area with some areas not easy to access or have internet access. Just like any other jurisdiction, illegal gambling is a criminal offense and this then triggers the need for law enforcement agencies and courts to come into play, not an easy part but we have seen some improvements. The issue of poverty is another dimension that these illegal syndicates have used that the locals feel indebted to them.
iGaming AFRIKA: Beyond equipment destruction, what collaborative efforts with law enforcement or community stakeholders have proven effective or remain under-utilised in curbing illegal gambling operations?
Zuko Phandle: We are pleased to see institutions of government in other sectors also taking interest in the fight against criminality caused by illegal operations. These include the Municipalities, Churches, Property Owners/Landlords’ Association, Traditional Leaders, Business Associations, NGOs, as well as Financial Intelligence Centre, South African Responsible Gambling Foundation, and SAPS.
iGaming AFRIKA: Illegal operators deprive the province of tax revenue and protections that regulated operators must provide. Do you think current penalties are adequate preventive measures or should regulatory frameworks be strengthened further?
Zuko Phandle: Yes, the penalties to a certain degree under normal circumstances are adequate, however, as we shared earlier, illegal gambling is a crime and it steals from the poor therefore should be treated as such. For this reason, the regulatory framework definitely needs to be strengthened, but must be able to work, through ensuring that Law Enforcement Agencies and Courts as competent institutions to deal with criminality are part of the process and equipped.
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iGaming AFRIKA: How does the Board balance robust regulatory oversight with efforts to educate the public about responsible gambling particularly in communities that may be most exposed to unlicensed gambling?
Zuko Phandle: The ECGB appreciates and understands that its role is dual (licence and regulate). Licensing means the province stands to benefit from that licence, in revenue generated, job creation, economic growth, etc., while regulating includes protecting the public more so the vulnerable groups. The agility and dynamism we mentioned earlier infused with theIGA RBA the Board adopted in 2015 has helped us to have continuous stakeholder engagement made up of (PROG), public, fellow regulators, operators, and government, in various forms.
iGaming AFRIKA: During the recent iGaming AFRIKA webinar on online betting regulation in South Africa, you highlighted the complexity of regulating a market that is both provincial and increasingly digital. From a compliance perspective, where do you believe the biggest regulatory blind spots currently lie?
Zuko Phandle: Absence of live and real-time data management, due to lack of RegTech that many jurisdictions, ourselves included, do not have.
iGaming AFRIKA: Do you believe that current industry contributions and responsible gambling programmes are sufficient to mitigate harms, or is there more the Board can do with partners like NGOs or national bodies?
Zuko Phandle: Yes, they are sufficient, however, like is the case in any case management in law/finance/health, etc., environments evolve and so are the problems, therefore, responses ought to appreciate that but not reactively. For this reason, additional sources will definitely assist.
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