Botswana’s approach to gambling regulation attracts global attention
The focus for all agreements remains consistent: sharing best practices, staff training and joint research to create a cohesive and high-integrity African gaming landscape
Botswana.- Botswana has emerged as a leading destination for gambling benchmarking activities in Africa, as evidenced by a series of high-level regulatory visits and agreements throughout 2025. The Botswana Gambling Authority’s (GA) proactive regulatory approach has solidified its position as a key partner for policy alignment in the Southern African gambling market.
In May, the BGA hosted the Lesotho Casino Board, which resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This agreement, designed to standardise regulatory practices, focused on licensing, compliance, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) efforts and responsible gambling.
In July, the authority inked another agreement with the Lotteries Board of Namibia. This was closely followed by a two-day benchmarking programme in August by the Eswatini Gaming Control Board, which sought to learn from Botswana’s established supervisory frameworks and player protection initiatives. In October, the regulator received a delegation from the Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT) for a one-day benchmarking visit aimed at sharing regulatory approaches and operational tools.
The focus for all agreements remains consistent: sharing best practices, staff training and joint research to create a cohesive and high-integrity African gaming landscape. Following the issuance of ten new bookmaker licences in May, Chairman Marvin Torto outlined the GA’s strategy, which includes the adoption of new technology to enhance oversight.
He said: “As part of our repositioning strategy as a facilitative regulator, we are intensifying stakeholder engagement, developing Botswana gambling standards and proactively working to reduce regulatory hurdles.”
Through hosting and participating in regulatory exchanges, Botswana is sharing its model of accountable governance and compliance in its gambling industry with the world. The country’s commitment to transparency, technology and regional cooperation establishes it as a key player in developing and implementing robust regulatory frameworks continent-wide.
The authority’s sound regulatory initiatives have also impacted the gambling industry, which is expected to generate revenue exceeding P1bn (€68.3m) in the next financial year. A recent financial report by Super Group, Betway Africa’s parent company, highlights Botswana’s substantial contribution to its global revenue, ranking the country among its top ten markets worldwide just months after its launch.
