14 Jul 2026

 The Gambling Authority has noted a sharp rise in gambling participation among both adults and young people in Botswana, a trend it attributed to the growth of online betting platforms.

This was revealed by the Authority’s Director of Responsible Gambling and Corporate Affairs, Ms Linnet Mafukidze, during a kgotla meeting in Tsabong on Tuesday.

The meeting was part of the Authority’s ongoing public education campaign aimed at promoting responsible gambling, raising awareness of the legal framework, and safeguarding vulnerable groups.

Ms Mafukidze said the Gambling Authority is mandated to regulate and license all gambling activities in the country. She cautioned that any unlicensed gambling, including card games and dice games, is illegal under Section 33 of the Gambling Act of 2012.

“Gambling should be regarded strictly as a form of entertainment and not as a means of generating income or making a profit,” she said. 

She urged the public to practice responsible gambling by using only money they could afford to lose and ensuring that gambling does not interfere with work, education, or family responsibilities.

The Director stressed that strict age limits remain in force, with individuals under 21 prohibited from participating in any gambling activity. 

Ms Mafukidze appealed to parents and guardians not to allow children access to electronic devices to place bets or gamble on their behalf. 

“Such practices undermine the law and expose young people to gambling at an early age,” she warned.

She acknowledged that irresponsible gambling could lead to addiction with serious effects on individuals and families. 

To address this, the Authority has intervention programmes in place. These include a self-exclusion programme, where individuals can request to be blocked from licensed platforms, and a third-party exclusion programme, which allows family members to apply for the temporary suspension of a relative showing signs of irresponsible gambling. Both are implemented only after investigations confirm the need.

Tsabong resident Mr Felix Ntau suggested that the Authority introduced a user profiling system with monthly spending limits to curb excessive gambling. 

Pastor Masego Koonnetseng also called for the campaign to be extended to churches, saying there were signs of irresponsible gambling within some church communities, including the alleged misuse of church funds. He said awareness programmes in churches could help with education and prevention.

The kgotla meeting formed part of the Gambling Authority’s broader drive to ensure compliance with Botswana’s gambling laws and to protect communities from the harms of irresponsible gambling. ends