Another betting shop headed for Wynberg?

Another bookmaker (Gobet Sports Betting) has applied to open in Wynberg, according to an advert  in yesterday’s edition of the People’s Post.

There are already four bookmakers in the area: Hollywood Bets, Supabets, Olimp and BettingWorld. The latest application is presumably for Gobet to take over the BettingWorld store.

In the past year, the WRRA has received numerous complaints about drug deals and other criminal activities occurring outside local betting shops. Residents were particularly upset  about Hollywood Bets on the corner of Main and Langley, which is for all intents and purposes a residential area where families live.

Read more: Concern over betting shop in residential area

Interestingly (and ironically), 155 Main Road where BettingWorld currently is and where Gobet wants to be, is neighbour to the Life Change Centre, a place of worship as well as a facility dedicated to helping and rehabilitating street people with drug and alcohol addiction.

Are you concerned about betting shops in Wynberg?

Here’s what you can do to prevent the granting or renewal of a licence, and to force the betting shop owners to combat criminal activities outside their shops more vigorously.

• Formally object to the application by Gobet Sports Betting. The deadline for objections is 11 November. Objections need to be specific (objection guidelines below).
• It is not enough to simply call the police if you are offered drugs in the vicinity of these shops or see other criminal acts occurring there, said local councillor Liz Brunette. Log a complaint at SAPS, provide the police with a proper affidavit and get a CAS number.  If possible, also provide photographic or video evidence. The more official complaints there are, the stronger residents′ case will be when shop owners apply for licence renewals.

How to object

Here′s  a summary of objection guidelines provided by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board.

• Examples of valid ground for objection include whether the granting of the licence is undesirable in light of the social, cultural or land-use aspects of the surrounding neighbourhood;  whether the applicant business is going to interfere with a place of worship or educational institution; and whether it gives easy access to underaged children.
• Objections must focus on either the site or the person applying. Site-specific objections include the social, geographical and economic factors of the surrounding neighbourhood and untoward and/or socially unacceptable behaviour or criminal activities at site level.
• The Gambling and Racing Board website above also provides specific guidelines for objections by places of worship and educational institutions (scroll down to point 5 on the document).
• Objections can be posted, faxed or emailed before 16:00, Friday 11 November 2016. The address and telephone details are on the advertisement pictured at the top of this page.

Read more: GUIDELINES FOR LODGING OBJECTIONS TO APPLICATIONS ADVERTISED IN THE MEDIA

*Thanks to Andrew Shepherd of Lindol Hygiene and Plants in Tenby Road, who alerted the WRRA to the advert and who also supplied the link to the objection guidelines.

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