Botswana Raises Alarm Over P850 Million Illegal Betting Spend
An estimated P850 million is spent each year on illegal betting platforms operating outside Botswana’s regulatory framework, Gambling Authority CEO Moruntshi Kemorwale has revealed. Kemorwale shared the figure while addressing educators and other stakeholders at the recent South East Region Staff Excellence Awards 2026 in Gaborone.
He told educators and other stakeholders that illegal betting poses a threat to Botswana’s economy and its young people and expressed concern that some unlicensed platforms attract underage users and expose them to gambling-related harm.
“Responsible gambling is everyone’s responsibility,” he said. “We must protect our young people, support licensed operators and stop illegal gambling from draining our economy.Together, we can build a safer and more responsible gambling environment for Botswana”
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The appeal forms part of the Gambling Authority’s Motshameko O Phepa campaign, which is aimed at promoting responsible gambling and raising public awareness of gambling-related risks.
Concerns about unlicensed online gambling in Botswana are not new. In January 2024, the state-owned DailyNews reported that the Gambling Authority had recorded approximately 510,000 cases of Batswana participating in illegal online gambling each month. Botswana had at the time, not issued local online gambling licences.
The regulated market has since expanded. In May 2025, the Gambling Authority had issued 10 bookmaker licences. Six of the licensed operators had begun operating, three were preparing to launch and one had withdrawn.
According to the report, casinos and licensed bookmakers had created more than 400 jobs. The Authority projected that casinos, betting shops and Limited Payout Machine operations could eventually support as many as 2,300 jobs.
Torto also acknowledged the risks accompanying the market’s expansion, including money laundering, excessive gambling and underage participation. Operators were required to introduce access controls and real-time identity verification to prevent minors from using their platforms.
