Real slot machines, mobile casinos bring about 100,000 FCFA per day to their owner. Their main customers: teenagers.
« Every time I bet here, the machine has taken my money ». Irmrana, 11 years old, is among the many Bamako teenagers now addicted to mobile casinos. Barefoot, he waits with several other friends in front of a small hangar which houses three. We are in the deep end of the bus station of Sogoniko, in the 5th municipality of the district of Bamako.
Here, every morning, dozens of children come and try to « multiply their coins ». « I can come with 100 FCFA and leave with 600 or even 1000 FCFA as it happens also that I am stripped of all that I have. That’s how it works », says another who tries to make his way between his friends. Most wait with coins in hand and eager to get near one of the three slot machines. Sadio, 37 years old, is the owner of the premises. He tries to calm the teenagers. In a few seconds, he evaluates the number of participants. And invites the first three customers inside. Imrana is one of them.
Two minutes later, he emerges, moves away from the others and go to sit on a brick. Anxiety can be seen on his face. He has « bet and lost 500 FCFA », according to Sadio. The boy, in khaki, remains head down for several minutes. Before getting up, sweat with anxiety to go away.
Meanwhile, the place begins to be crammed with people. Adults including young women have just arrived. Some with basket seem to be on the way to the market. «Lend me 300 CFA francs for me to play? » I’ll pay you back », one of them propses to her friend. She is Mariam, 21 years old and a maid in a nearby family. This morning, she did not have a coin, but took advantage of an errand to « see ». Her friend, novice, disagrees. She wants to start herself, but insists that we show her how it works. Sadio, the manager of the casino, leads her to the screen: « You insert a coin into this hole, located on the right side of the machine. It will show you these icons, eight in total. Each coin is an icon. Once the coin is inserted, you must press an icon, wait until the machine turns before the table displays the amount you have won ». To be sure of winning, you have to put as many coins as there are icons on the screen. With a nod, the young lady seems to have understood the mechanism.
« The buffalo is wicked »
After a few minutes of hesitation, she starts and introduces three coins of 100 FCFA. She presses once, twice and then three times. Each time the machine turns, it displays: 0 F.
Each of the seven icons represents an animal: a cow, a lion, a monkey, a horse, a tiger, a buffalo and a rabbit. There is only one who represents a baby. Here, each animal is assigned a qualification based on the number of times it makes you lose or win. « Every time I bet on the buffalo, the machine has taken my money. He is very wicked … », says a young talibé of about 15 years, native of the Mopti region where his parents still live. He explains that in his culture, it is the rabbit that is reputed to be very intelligent. « I always bet on him. It does not work all the time, but it’s better than the buffalo », he says smiling.
« It’s illegal, but it pays off ».
Thirty meters from the premises, sits Banou, 56 years old in front of his hardware store. He observes every day the interminable comings and goings in this little corner hardly visible in the big mess of the station. « It’s like that every day. Many come here », he says. Banou remembers that parents have complained several times to Sadio, the manager. « Because there are some who are going to steal coins at home to come and play », he regrets.
Sadio knows that it is an illegal activity but he defends himself: « I’m not the owner. I just manage. And even if it is illegal, it pays a lot ». He was a Sotrama apprentice, the green public transport that roams the streets of Bamako all day long. One day, one of his « businessman » friends informed him that he was going to install casinos and offered him to be the manager for 45 000 FCFA as monthly salary. He did not hesitate. But he does not know himself who is the real owner of the machines. According to Sadio, each of the three slot machines can yield up to 100 000 FCFA per day.
Numbers that Sory confirms with one difference. He also owns a casino like this which he discreetly lodged in the bottom of his small hairdressing salon in order not to attract the indiscretions of the neighborhood. And to cover from a probable police raid. « Especially that Bulldozer Ami (Ami Kane is the governor of the district of Bamako, editor’s note) isn’t joking. Only my guys and I manage our business here, OKLM* », he said ironically.
At the district’s city hall, we know that such business exists everywhere in the Malian capital. Law enforcement officials have raided several times into corners of the city to dislodge these mobile casinos. After a decree of the district’s governorate in 2015, recording the prohibition of the practice to the six municipalities of Bamako. « More than a hundred slot machines have been seized », a says a collection agent from the city hall. At the time, people began to complain about it because they had gone to settle in front of the schools.
While waiting for the strict application of the decree, the party continues more beautifully at the Sogoniko bus station where teenagers scramble under the small hangar of Sadio. Discreetly and far from the authorities’ eyes. Our young boy in khaki returned to bet 200 FCFA. It comes out smiling with 600 FCFA.
OKLM *: Abbreviation of “Au calm” (to be calm) in SMS language and popularized by the French rapper Booba.
Aboubacar Dicko