The Gaming Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF) was launched in February 2003 and held its first Annual General Meeting in Malawi in October that year. This year the AGM was once again in Malawi and the Malawi Gaming Board called for more involvement by women. Three years ago a women’s forum was initiated and each year it meets separately at the annual conference to confer on regulatory progress.

At the fifth GRAF meeting, held in Mangochi, Milawi’s Deputy Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture, Billy Kaunda, commented that attracting more investors to the gaming sector would enhance security. He advised GRAF to formulate policies that would overcome some of the challenges confronting stakeholders in the industry, and that issues ranging from management to money laundering should be widened to cover all industrial sectors, not just gambling, for the economic benefit of the countries concerned.

Malawi has just two casino operations, in Blantyre and Lilongwe, and gaming contributes around 2 million Kwacha (US$14,540) a month to government. According to Malawi Gaming Board Chief Executive Master Maliro, the operations create additional business opportunities and jobs as well as providing entertainment.

GRAF has ten members from Eastern and Southern Africa and is making progress in bringing in countries from other regions of Africa. It offers solutions to member states on how gambling should be regulated. The South African National Gambling Board, with vast experience in the field, was appointed as the permanent secretariat of GRAF in 2005.

The Malawi Gaming Board is formulating a policy to encourage more women regulators into the gaming sector and to alter the negative perception of the industry. The Board considers that women are better placed to address issues such as problem gambling and have valuable input to offer on the way the industry should move forward. (E-11.28.07)

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