Botswana is gearing up for new and tighter gambling rules, which take effect on April 1st.
Casinos are the only form of gambling that has been regulated in Botswana. There are no specific laws for online gambling and sports betting, which makes it not illegal. But under the new regulations, established by the country’s Gambling Act 2012, all land-based and virtual betting in Botswana ranging from casinos, bookmakers, bingos, lotteries and racing must be licensed.
Casinos will pay BWP250,000 for registration, betting houses BWP50,000 while bingos and national lotteries will pay BWP10,000 and BWP1 million respectively.
“All kinds of betting will now need to be licensed. We will be flighting adverts soon for Request for Proposals for interested companies to apply for licenses,” said Thulisizwe Johnson, chief executive officer of the newly established Gambling Authority Botswana. “We will take over regulation of the existing casinos in April while anyone wishing to be involved in any other kind of betting, including sms and online will need to be registered and licensed with the Authority first.”
The law will also require all gaming facilities to install surveillance equipment in a bid to monitor possible money laundering and other crimes. It would also establish a gambling prevention and rehabilitation committee.
“All the new requirements are meant to curb illegal gambling and protect the licensed operators who do not only pay tax but also have jobs to protect,” said Johnson.
Johson admitted that existing regulations for casinos are extensive but framework for online gambling is needed.
The new law was approved by the Minister of Trade and Industry in January and will be applied to the country’s 10 licensed brick-and-mortar casinos.
