Western Cape police are asking people to stop allowing gambling machines in their homes to make quick money. This comes after two women were arrested in Manenberg on Tuesday, 25 March 2025, for having gambling machines without licenses.
Police spokesperson Anelisiwe Manyana said Manenberg SAPS and officials from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board acted on a tip-off and raided the homes running unlicensed machines.
They found two women, aged 43 and 46, in possession of the machines and arrested them on the spot. Manyana said the impact of these illegal machines goes far beyond just breaking the law.
“Gambling machines can harm children by causing stress, behaviour problems and even leading to gambling problems later in life,” she said.
She also said the money made through these machines is not taxed, meaning the government loses out on funds. Police say the two women are not the owners of the machines.
“They face eviction because the homes are part of the City of Cape Town’s rental stock. Using them to commit crimes could lead to the state taking the property,” said Manyana.
The woman will appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court after being charged.
Siphokazi Mtyu, a 45-year-old local resident, said she didn’t know that having the machines without a licence was illegal.
“Unemployment is high, and people are just trying to survive. Maybe the women rented space to the machine owners to earn a little money,” she said.
She admitted that if someone had asked to place machines in her home, she would have agreed.
“I’ve learned something from this. I hope the law won’t be too harsh on them because they were just trying to feed their families,” said Mtyu.
