Botswana Gambling Authority criticized for betting sites blackout

Punters had just started using the new sportsbooks after the BGA sent out their favourite ones.

Botswana.- The Botswana Gambling Authority (BGA) has faced intense criticism from bettors following a prolonged outage that reportedly affected access to its newly licensed betting sites.

For some days, starting Thursday, March 20, Botswana’s newly approved gambling sites experienced a blackout that allegedly left several users without access to their betting platforms.

Many took to social media to voice concerns about the new betting sites and the gambling authority, accusing them of unfair practices.

The punters were particularly upset and doubtful because they started using the new sportsbooks after the authority closed down the popular offshore platforms they were familiar with. 

In 2024, the BGA issued a cease-and-desist order to international betting sites operating in its jurisdiction without a licence. This development affected Betway, which exited the market last year to pursue a gambling licence. Bet365, which had also been operating without permission, recently left the market, too.

The BGA justified the move based on a study that revealed that around 510,000 people were engaged in unregulated gambling, meaning the government was missing out on considerable licensing and tax income.

In March 2025, new licensed operators like Betway’s subsidiary Deltabay, Sunbet and Psbet began operating in the jurisdiction.

While the BGA has remained silent on the blackout, the sites involved have released a statement.

PstBet Botswana’s CEO, Advocate Moloko Gaboutloeloe, rejected claims that the site was inactive. According to Gaboutloeloe, the problems were minor and were quickly resolved, but he suspected that illegal operators may be behind the campaign against his company and other newly licensed sites.

Gaboutloeloe suggested that illegal operators might be using their former agents to wage a PR battle against new companies and the industry watchdog.

In a recent press release, Deltabay or Betway Botswana, acknowledged that technical issues had prevented users from viewing, placing and cashing out bets. However, the company assured customers that the problems had been solved.