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| Title: | Towards a history of gambling in Zimbabwe, with special reference to betting and greyhound racing |
| Author: | Roberts, R.S. |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Periodical: | Heritage of Zimbabwe (ISSN 0556-9605) |
| Issue: | 26 |
| Pages: | 1-8 |
| Language: | English |
| Notes: | biblio. refs. |
| Geographic terms: | Zimbabwe Southern Africa |
| Subjects: | gambling games legislation canines 1950-1999 History, Archaeology Gambling industry--History Greyhound racing--Betting |
| Abstract: | Why was dog racing - second only to soccer in popularity in the British Isles from the 1920s - not taken up in Rhodesia's (now Zimbabwe) urban centres as a cheaper alternative to horse racing, particularly for Africans? This paper shows that the answer to this question lies in the legislation governing gambling, which made it illegal for Africans to make bets or even to buy a State lottery ticket. The first piece of legislation governing betting in Southern Rhodesia was in 1914 and was probably prompted by public concern in South Africa about betting on the Rand as a growing social problem. In 1938, the Southern Rhodesian government introduced new legislation, again prompted by developments in South Africa. In the 1940s, the question of dog racing came to the attention of the authorities. In 1950, new legislation banned dog racing as well as betting on it. In the 1950s, attitudes to gambling and betting were softening, and a general relaxation of controls was soon seen. However, only in late 1990 did greyhound racing finally come to Zimbabwe, but the African masses did not take to it and its career was consequently short-lived. Notes, ref. [ASC Leiden abstract] |
