Digicel gaming services a worry for Nicta

Business

By MARK HAIHUIE
THE National Information and Communication Technology Authority chief executive Charles Punaha (pictured) plans to discuss with heads of relevant government agencies public concern over the SMS Games run by Digicel.
Punaha told The National this was to address concerns from Digicel subscribers on the offer of gaming services.
Nicta is concerned about how the service may allow under-age gambling and how subscribers who do not want to take part are “bombarded with this message”, he said.
“We do not licence the gambling and when we investigated these complaints from members of the public who got fed up after receiving so many of these messages from Digicel, their response is that they have been awarded a licence to do this by the National Gaming Control Board.
“At the moment, we have no control because they are saying they have a licence from the National Gaming Control Board. But for us, the biggest issue is that they have not completed the registration of SIM cards.
They would not be aware if those messages are sent to under-aged subscribers who should not be targeted.”
He plans to call a meeting of the National Gaming Control Board, Independent Consumer and Competition Commission and Nicta to discuss the issue.