The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation has issued a public warning over a website allegedly misrepresenting itself as being linked to the National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP), raising concerns that vulnerable members of the public could be misled into paying for services that are meant to be free.
The Foundation said it is not affiliated with Stop Gambling SA or its related social media platforms, which claim to offer gambling-related support services at a cost.
It stressed that all services provided through the NRGP, including counselling, self-exclusion support and account freezing assistance, are offered free of charge.
“We are deeply concerned by the misrepresentation housed on the website and its related materials as we have not authorised the use of the NRGP name, mandate or contact details by them,” said Sibongile Simelane-Quntana, Executive Director of the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation.
The Foundation warned that the alleged misuse of the NRGP’s identity risks exploiting people seeking help for gambling-related harm and could undermine trust in legitimate support structures.
“Members of the public should also be aware that services relating to self-exclusion through the NRGP are provided free of charge and any operator cooling off or account freezing are also provided free of charge by relevant operators. Where a member of the public requests the NRGP to facilitate on their behalf either a cooling off period or account freezing we do so in line with the protection of personal information act,” Simelane-Quntana added.
In response, the Foundation said it has approached the relevant domain registrar to seek the removal of the website’s allegedly misleading information and services, with efforts also under way to identify those responsible.
The organisation said it would pursue all appropriate legal avenues where necessary.
The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation said its mandate remains focused on promoting responsible gambling through public education, harm reduction and access to professional support services for individuals and families affected by problem gambling.
“The Foundation remains committed to responsible gambling education, support, counselling and lawful harm reduction interventions. We are taking the necessary steps to address this matter and protect the integrity of the NRGP and the public we serve,” Simelane-Quntana said.
The Star