Suleman Chitera 
By Suleman Chitera
The Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority (MAGLA) has urged students at Holy Family College of Health Sciences in Phalombe to gamble responsibly, know their limits and avoid treating betting as a source of income.
MAGLA Public Relations Officer Nancy Malata made the call on Friday during a Responsible Gambling Awareness Outreach at the college, held as part of the commemoration of Africa Safer Gambling Week 2026, which runs from September 7 to 11.
Malata said the campaign, which brings together gaming regulators and operators across African jurisdictions, is aimed at promoting player protection by ensuring that gamblers are informed, understand their limits and know where to seek help when gambling becomes a challenge.
“The main aim of this campaign is to sensitise the masses and players regarding responsible gambling. The main focus is player protection. We want players to be informed, to know where to get help, to know their limits and understand that gambling is not a source of income,” said Malata.
She emphasised that gambling should be treated as entertainment and not as a job, business or guaranteed means of making money.
Malata further said responsible gambling messaging is required for all licensed gaming operators in Malawi, who must, under the Gaming and Lotteries Regulations, display messages encouraging players to gamble responsibly.
“Operators have also been participating in the Africa Safer Gambling Week campaign by sharing responsible gambling messages through their various platforms,” said Malata.
Phalombe Police Public Relations Officer Sergeant Jimmy Kapanja said betting can create confusion because while some people regard it as entertainment, others depend on it as a source of income.
“Betting can bring some confusion because there are some people who rely on betting as their source of income, while others just take it as a game of entertainment. It therefore requires organisations like MAGLA and the Police to come together to sensitise people about its importance, as well as the consequences that can come from relying on these games,” said Kapanja.
Meanwhile, student Dalitso Mselebo said the awareness had helped students understand that betting should not be considered a way to earn a living.
“As students, we have learned that betting is just a game, so we cannot take betting as our source of income,” said Mselebo.
The awareness campaign also combined education with entertainment, with musician Driemo entertaining the students with some of his popular songs, including ‘Pensulo, Follow, Joker and Hendede’.
His performances got the students singing along and created an engaging atmosphere for the awareness campaign.
Comedy and drama group Wannatix also performed a drama highlighting some of the challenges and negative consequences associated with gambling, helping students understand the risks through an entertaining and relatable presentation
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