7 Mar 2008

PNG gambling watchdog cracks down on illegal machines

2:19 pm on 7 March 2008

Papua New Guinea's National Gaming Control Board is cracking down on illegal gambling machines.

The National Newspaper reports that the board is targetting so-called High-low games - which are similar to bingo and are particularly popular with women and children.

The board's CEO, Simon Sanagke, told the National the games were illegal and tended to be operated by foreigners.

Mr Sanagke warned that anyone who continued to operate the machines would face prison sentences like the 26 Chinese nationals arrested for running horse racing machines in 2004 and 2005.

He said the operators were often involved in other illegal activities such as human trafficking and the importing of counterfeit products.