bet365 and other offshore operators pull out of Botswana amid tightened gambling regulations
New gambling regulations force bet365 and other offshore operators to exit Botswana, leaving punters stranded.
Botswana: Botswana’s online betting scene has been shaken to its core as the Botswana Gambling Authority (BGA) clamps down with tougher regulations. In the past few days, major offshore operators like bet365 have had to pull out of the market.
This move has left thousands of local punters high and dry, reeling from the sudden shutdowns and the BGA’s aggressive crackdown in illegal betting sites.
Last week, the BGA blacked out a slew of newly licensed online betting sites, effectively halting operations for local bettors who had become accustomed to placing wagers on international platforms. Many frustrated punters took to social media, accusing the gambling authority and the new local betting sites of conspiring to rob them of their hard-earned cash.
Exited operators and newcomers
The fallout from the BGA’s action has been swift. After issuing a “cease and desist” notice to several offshore operators, including Betway, which had already announced their exit, bet365 – the last major international site still operating in Botswana – also made the decision to shut down its operations.
bet365 officially confirmed its departure from the market on April 1, leaving many punters scrambling to find alternatives. Newcomers like Sunbet and Psbet rushed to fill the void.
So far, the BGA has remained tight-lipped. According to The Patriot publication, BGA spokesperson Moruntshi Kemorwale refrained from discussing the issues.
However, he did say that the authority regularly collaborated with international gambling regulators to ensure the weeding out of operators who lacked the appropriate local licenses.
Kemorwale also indicated that Betway had been granted a grace period to wind down operations by April 2025, noting that the authority was allowing time for punters to withdraw their funds without penalty.
A recent report by the authority states that some 510,000 Botswana residents were involved in illegal gambling activities.
