Botswana to drive discussions on Africa’s gaming tax future at PAGTR 2026
Regulators, tax authorities and industry leaders to meet in Gaborone as compliance, taxation and technology move higher up the agenda.
Botswana.- Botswana will host the Pan-African Gaming Taxation and Revenue Summit (PAGTR) 2026 as African regulators step up efforts to modernise gambling taxation, strengthen oversight and harness technology across rapidly evolving gaming markets.
The summit will take place on September 9-10 at the Grand Palm Hotel Casino & Convention Resort in Gaborone, bringing together regulators, tax authorities, policymakers and industry leaders to examine taxation reform, regulatory cooperation, and technology-driven compliance under the theme, “Shaping Smart Tax Policy for a Sustainable Gaming Economy.”
Originally scheduled for September 17-18, PAGTR 2026 was moved to allow delegates to also attend the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF) Conference in Mozambique from September 14-17. Organisers say the revised calendar will create greater opportunities for dialogue, collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the African gaming industry.
As African governments reassess regulatory frameworks for the gaming sector, questions around revenue collection, market oversight and long-term sustainability are moving higher up the agenda. PAGTR 2026 will bring regulators and industry stakeholders together to discuss potential solutions and share insights on the challenges facing the sector.
Peter Kesitilwe, CEO of the African iGaming Alliance, highlighted the importance of collaboration in shaping future policy. “From an Alliance perspective, the importance of this symposium lies in fostering coordinated engagement on taxation and regulation. Alignment across stakeholders enables more informed decision-making, supports sustainable tax frameworks, and ultimately strengthens channelisation and market integrity,” said Kesitilwe, according to a press release.
The summit’s agenda includes taxation reform, illegal gambling, responsible gambling, artificial intelligence, data analytics and real-time monitoring systems. Discussions will also examine how regulators can work more closely together as digital gambling activity increasingly crosses borders.
Africa’s gaming future takes shape
Technology is expected to feature prominently in the discussions, reflecting growing interest among African regulators in monitoring platforms and data-driven tools that improve transparency, strengthen reporting and combat illegal gambling activity.
The summit will also explore how governments can develop tax policies that encourage compliance while maintaining attractive and sustainable regulated markets. Participants are expected to include representatives from regulatory authorities, government agencies, gaming operators, suppliers and technology providers from across Africa and international markets.
Moruntshi Kemorwale, Acting CEO of the Botswana Gambling Authority, welcomed the alignment between PAGTR and GRAF. He said: “As an industry, we are strongest when we work together. Greater coordination across our event calendar allows stakeholders from across the continent and beyond to engage more fully, strengthening relationships and ensuring that important conversations continue across multiple platforms.”
Event organisers have also stressed the need for modern taxation systems that can keep pace with the industry’s rapid evolution, arguing that “well-structured, transparent, and technology-enabled taxation systems” can strengthen compliance and support sustainable growth across African gaming markets.
