Botswana seeks local stakes in new bingo and casino projects
Prospective investors must disclose ownership structures, local shareholding and expected job creation, with joint ventures offering a route to specialist expertise.
Key takeaways:
- Botswana’s Gambling Authority will use its bingo and casino EOI to assess investor interest before formal licensing begins.
- Prospective investors must outline proposed ownership structures and the extent of local shareholding.
- Joint ventures could connect Batswana investors with partners offering technical expertise and financial capacity.
- Investors will be asked to estimate job creation so the authority can assess each project’s potential economic contribution.
- EOI submissions close at 3pm on October 16; clarification requests must arrive at least two days before the deadline.
Botswana.- Botswana’s Gambling Authority is seeking to establish how local investors could participate in new bingo and casino developments through an Expression of Interest (EOI) process ahead of formal licensing. Acting director of responsible gambling and corporate affairs Linnet Mafukidze said the assessment will consider ownership, employment and wider links to tourism and hospitality. Joint ventures could provide a route for Batswana investors to participate where specialist operating expertise or financial capacity is needed.
Speaking in an interview with BTV News, Mafukidze said the authority wants to establish whether suitably qualified Batswana investors are interested in participating in the industry and what they could bring to prospective gambling developments.
Mafukidze said local participation is one of the main objectives of the EOI, as the authority wants Batswana to have a role in the development of the gambling industry. Prospective investors will therefore be required to provide information on their proposed ownership structures and the extent of local shareholding.
Mafukidze noted that local investors may not always have the specialist expertise required to establish and operate gambling businesses. She said joint ventures could enable Batswana investors to partner with companies that have the required technical knowledge and financial capacity. Some existing gambling licences already use this model, she added, allowing partners to combine their respective expertise and resources.
The authority will also seek to establish how proposed bingo and casino projects could contribute to employment. Mafukidze said investors would be asked to indicate the number of jobs their projects could create, allowing the authority to assess the potential economic contribution of each proposal. She also linked the development of the gambling industry to tourism and hospitality, indicating that the authority is considering the wider economic role of new gaming establishments.
Mafukidze stressed that the EOI is not the licensing stage itself. Instead, it is intended to establish the level of interest and gather information on potential investors before the authority begins the formal licensing process. She said the EOI requirements and related information are available through the Gambling Authority’s website and social media platforms.
The deadline for submissions is 3 pm on October 16, while clarification requests must be submitted at least two days before the closing date. Mafukidze said the authority will use its established licensing procedures, including a virtual data room, to manage the process and maintain transparency.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Is Botswana’s bingo and casino EOI a licence application? No. The EOI gathers information on prospective investors and establishes the level of interest before the Gambling Authority begins formal licensing.
- What information must prospective bingo and casino investors provide? Investors must describe their proposed ownership structures, local shareholding and expected job creation. These details will help the authority assess local participation and potential economic benefits.
- Can Batswana investors partner with experienced gambling companies? Yes. Mafukidze said joint ventures could combine local investment with specialist technical knowledge and financial resources, a model already used by some existing gambling licensees.
- When is the deadline for Botswana’s bingo and casino EOI? Submissions are due by 3pm on October 16. Requests for clarification must be submitted at least two days before the closing date.
