ARGN adds Botswana responsible gambling expert to advisory board
Portia Gaone Diteko brings more than 15 years of experience in gambling harm prevention, addiction counselling and policy development.
Key takeaways:
- The African Responsible Gaming Network (ARGN) has appointed Portia Gaone Diteko, responsible gambling programme manager at Botswana’s Gambling Authority, to its advisory board.
- Diteko brings more than 15 years of experience in responsible gambling, addiction counselling, research and rehabilitation.
- Her work at the Gambling Authority covers gambling harm prevention, policy development and rehabilitation programmes, alongside community awareness initiatives.
- She was involved in Motshameko o Phepha, a campaign that reached 100 villages and other sites during its first year.
Summary: The African Responsible Gaming Network has appointed Portia Gaone Diteko of Botswana’s Gambling Authority to its advisory board. Diteko brings more than 15 years of experience in responsible gambling, addiction counselling, research and rehabilitation. Her appointment strengthens ARGN’s stated focus on evidence-based policy, gambling harm prevention and access to treatment across Africa.
Botswana.- The African Responsible Gaming Network (ARGN) has appointed Portia Gaone Diteko, responsible gambling programme manager at Botswana’s Gambling Authority, to its advisory board.
Diteko brings more than 15 years of professional experience in responsible gambling, addiction counselling, research and rehabilitation. At the Gambling Authority, her work covers gambling harm prevention, policy development and rehabilitation programmes. She has also been involved in community awareness initiatives, including Motshameko o Phepha, a campaign that reached 100 villages and other sites during its first year. She has also served as a substance abuse counsellor at national and international rehabilitation centres, where she gained experience in addiction treatment and recovery support.
In 2025, Diteko received the Mufasa Speaker Excellence Award at the BiG Africa Summit in recognition of her contributions to the responsible gambling sector. She has also contributed to responsible gambling discussions at industry events, including the International Association of Gaming Regulators’ 2025 conference, where she spoke on a panel addressing protective measures for young adults who gamble.
ARGN said Diteko’s experience would contribute to its work on evidence-based policies, gambling harm prevention and access to treatment across Africa. In a previous interview with Focus Gaming News, Diteko urged African gambling regulators to develop responsible gambling programmes based on research into local communities rather than adopting approaches from other markets. “One big lesson is to research your people, find out what their needs are, and base your programmes on that,” she said, referring to differences in how gambling-related stigma affects people across countries.
She also called for stronger cooperation between regulators and licensed operators, arguing that clear legislation is necessary to define their respective responsibilities for player protection.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Who is Portia Gaone Diteko? Portia Gaone Diteko is the responsible gambling programme manager at Botswana’s Gambling Authority. She has more than 15 years of professional experience in responsible gambling, addiction counselling, research and rehabilitation.
- What is Portia Diteko’s new role at ARGN? She has joined the African Responsible Gaming Network’s advisory board, where her experience will contribute to the network’s work on responsible gambling policies, harm prevention and access to treatment.
- What has Portia Diteko said about responsible gambling in Africa? Diteko has advocated research-based programmes tailored to local communities and stronger cooperation between gambling regulators and licensed operators. She has also stressed the importance of understanding how gambling-related stigma affects people seeking help.
