The Gaming Supervision Institute (ISJ) has intensified its engagement with municipal administrations across northern Angola to strengthen institutional cooperation and support efforts to combat illegal gambling.
The initiative involved a series of meetings held in September and October with municipal authorities in the provinces of Zaire, Cabinda and Malanje. The municipalities visited included Nzeto, Tomboco, Noqui, Lufico and Cuimba in Zaire; Cacongo, Necuto and Massabi in Cabinda; and Calandula in Malanje.
The ISJ delegation was led by Sebastião Tomagua, Head of the Provincial Service of the Northern Region, who presented the institute’s programme to address illegal gambling activities across the region.
Particular attention was given to betting activities involving metal coins through machines commonly known as slot machines, as well as artisanal lottery operations conducted in local markets. As part of the initiative, the ISJ is raising public awareness and encouraging the voluntary abandonment of these practices.
During the engagements, the institute also outlined key gambling-related regulations, including restrictions on the placement of gaming advertisements and the activities of social gaming mediators near educational institutions, hospitals, churches, charitable institutions, cemeteries and ministerial departments.
The ISJ further reiterated the prohibition of gambling activities by persons under 18 years of age and the ban on the street vending of betting tickets.
The municipal administrations expressed support for the institute’s efforts to tackle illegal gambling, identifying unauthorized slot machine operations as a major concern in several communities.
Local authorities also raised concerns about minors gaining access to betting terminals, noting that the situation has contributed to declining school attendance in the region. According to the administrations, the effects extend beyond students to include some education and health professionals.
The ISJ said the awareness and engagement programme would be extended to all municipal administrations across the Northern Region as part of its broader efforts to strengthen regulatory cooperation and address illegal gambling.
