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The Laws of Zambia

Copyright Ministry of Legal Affairs, Government of the Republic of Zambia

REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA

THE POOLS ACT

CHAPTER 165 OF THE LAWS OF ZAMBIA

CHAPTER 165 THE POOLS ACT

THE POOLS ACT

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1. Short title

2. Interpretation

3. Minister may issue licences to conduct pools

4. Unauthorised pools

5. Promoters of pools and agents of promoters to be licensed

6. Legalisation of ready money pool betting carried on by post

7. Saving

CHAPTER 165

POOLS

An Act to provide for the regulation of pools competitions; and to provide for
matters incidential thereto or connected therewith.

[1st March, 1960]

33 of 1959
13 of 1994
Government Notices
304 of 1964
497 of 1964
Statutory Instrument
91 of 1965

1. This Act may be cited as the Pools Act. Short title

The Laws of Zambia

Copyright Ministry of Legal Affairs, Government of the Republic of Zambia

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires- Interpretation

"licensee" means the holder of a valid licence issued under this Act;

"pool" means any competition organised for the gain of the promoter in which for a
monetary or other material reward the public are invited to foretell the result
of any race, game or event, and includes a pool operated on the system
known as a fixed odds betting pool on the result of any race, game or
event.

3. (1) The Minister may, in his discretion, issue a licence to any person to promote
a pool within the Republic or to act within the Republic in respect of pools promoted
outside the Republic as the agent of the promoter thereof.

Minister may issue
licences to conduct
pools

(2) The Minister may, in his discretion, attach conditions to any licence issued under
this section and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, such conditions may
require the payment to the Government by the licensee of fees and other moneys.

(3) A licence issued under this Act shall be valid for such period as may be specified
thereon:

Provided that the Minister may, if he thinks fit after due inquiry, cancel any licence
where he is satisfied that any of the conditions attached thereto have been contravened.

(As amended by G.N. No. 304 of 1964)

4. (1) A pool promoted within the Republic by any person not being a licensee shall
be deemed to be an unauthorised pool.

Unauthorised pools

(2) Any act or thing done within the Republic in respect of or in relation to a pool
promoted outside the Republic by a person who has not within the Republic an agent
licensed under this Act shall be deemed to have been done in respect of or in relation to
an unauthorised pool.

(3) Any person who prints or publishes, or causes to be printed or published, any
advertisement or other notice of or relating to an unauthorised pool, or of or relating to the
issue of any coupon connected with any such pool, shall be guilty of an offence and shall
be liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand five hundred penalty units:

Provided that the publication of any such advertisement or notice in a newspaper
printed outside the Republic and normally circulating within the Republic shall not be a
contravention of the provisions of this subsection if the pool to which such advertisement
or notice refers is promoted outside the Republic.

The Laws of Zambia

Copyright Ministry of Legal Affairs, Government of the Republic of Zambia

(4) Any person who prints or who sends or gives to any person any coupon relating
to an unauthorised pool shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine not
exceeding one thousand five hundred penalty units.

(As amended by Act No. 13 of 1994)

5. (1) No person shall carry on any business involving the receiving or negotiating
of bets made by way of pool betting unless he is the holder of a valid licence as a pool
promoter or pools agent issued under this Act.

Promoters of pools
and agents of
promoters to be
licensed

(2) Any person who contravenes the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an
offence and liable to a fine not exceeding fifteen thousand penalty units or to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both

(3) Bets shall be deemed for the purposes of this section to be made by way of pool
betting whenever a number of persons make bets on terms that the winnings of such of
those persons as are winners shall be, or be a share of, or be determined by reference to,
the stake money paid or agreed to be paid by those persons, whether the bets are made
by means of a totalisator, or by filling up and returning coupons or other printed or written
forms, or otherwise howsoever.

(As amended by Act No. 13 of 1994)

6. Section 1 of the Betting Act, 1853, of the United Kingdom, so far as it relates to
the opening, keeping or using of houses, offices, rooms or other places for the receipt of
money, shall not apply in relation to pool betting business carried on by the holder of a
valid licence as a pools promoter or pools agent issued under this Act.

(As amended by S.I. No. 91 of 1965)

Legalisation of ready
money pool betting
carried on by post

7. Nothing in this Act contained shall make illegal any betting by means of a
totalisator in accordance with proviso (i) to subsection (2) of section one hundred and
seventy-five of the Penal Code, or by means of the system known as a fixed odds betting
pool where such pool is promoted by a bookmaker licensed under the provisions of the
Betting Control Act.

Saving
Cap. 87
Cap. 166