Comm Nyathi said police officers in uniform were not allowed to enter betting shops and gamble.
A number of pictures have appeared on social media platforms, which show uniformed police officers in betting shops, including some who appear to be betting on the counters.
Comm Nyathi said this did not give a good picture of the country’s police force.
Some delegates suggested that some of the police officers could have been visiting these betting shops to check on compliance given that the industry is battling to flush out some illegal and unregistered players.
However, Comm Nyathi said the police has a fully-fledged unit which deals with compliance and these units usually work as a team, and not as individuals.
He said the rogue police officers, who visit betting shops in uniform to gamble, will be dealt with accordingly while he also warned the operators against allowing people, who are below the age of 18, to enter their shops and place their bets, which is against the law.
Casino operators said their rules were very clear and they don’t allow police officers or soldiers in uniform to enter their premises and gamble.
During the discussions, stakeholders agreed that the industry has taken the country by storm and it has created many job opportunities but there was a need to regulate and protect the gamblers.
It was also agreed that there was a need to monitor the sector for public safety, ethical standards and adherence to national values.
Speaking during the event, Zimpapers board member, Mrs Sibly Madzikanda, said the group will give a bigger voice to events related to the industry and emphasised the need for people to gamble responsibly.
The Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Ambassador Raphael Faranisi, said the initiative is a collective resolve to foster a sustainable, well-regulated and socially accountable gaming ecosystem in the country.
“This conference is more than just an assembly of minds; it is a convergence of values, a platform of resolve, and a spark of transformation where we move beyond rhetoric to action and dialogue, as well as creating a more socially responsible gaming sector,” he said in a speech read on his behalf by the ministry’s director, Ms Prisca Madziviridze.POLICE officers in uniform are NOT allowed to get into betting shops and gamble on either sports events or try their luck at casinos in this country.
This was revealed by national police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, in Harare at the weekend.
Comm Nyathi was addressing delegates at the inaugural H-Metro National Forum On Responsible Betting conference, which was held at Alex Sports Club in the capital, on Saturday.The conference was a resounding success and attracted a full house of all the major players in the betting industry in this country.
It was held in conjunction with the Lotteries and Gaming Board, the principal authority in the industry, the Government and various arms of this industry, which has been enjoying phenomenal growth in this country.
The overriding message from the conference was a call for punters to gamble responsibly to avoid negative consequences, including being jailed for abusing funds which belonged to other parties, including employers.
Earlier this year, William Gonese, 28, who was a shift manager at Baker’s Inn, was jailed for 10 years after he was convicted for stealing US$3,420 from his employer which he used to fund his gambling on Kandege.
It is also known as Aviator and this game has taken the local betting industry by storm.
Gonese said he also wanted to impress his new bride.
However, representatives of the betting industry questioned some of these claims and said some people were using their industry as an excuse when the crimes could have been committed in other ventures.
