KZN Bookmakers’ Society are taking a stand
On 4th March 2015 the KwaZulu-Natal Bookmakers’ Society lodged a complaint with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).
Sean Coleman, CEO of the KwaZulu-Natal Bookmakers Society confirmed that a complaint had been lodged. He said that the Society has taken a view that it was no longer prepared to stand back and allow the racing operators to flout the law with impunity. Whether it be gambling board license conditions, gambling laws in relation to the operation of sports pools, or broadcasting without a license.
The complaint consists of two parts of which the first part is against the joint parties of Tellytrack, Phumelela Gaming and Leisure Limited, Gold Circle (Pty) Ltd and Kenilworth Racing (Pty) Ltd and the second part against Telemedia (Pty) Ltd, for contraventions of the Electronic Communications Act pertaining to the provision of commercial broadcast services without the correct licenses.
The complaint is being brought on the grounds that none of the listed parties hold the requisite Broadcast Service licenses, despite both public admission as well as Phumelela’s published financials making it clear that racing is being broadcast for commercial purposes on two of Tellytrack’s three channels, and is being operated on a for profit basis.
ICASA has acknowledged receipt of the complaint which it has resolved to review and revert accordingly.
