Eswatini gambling operators now mandated to register all clients with national IDs
New regulations aim to strengthen responsible gaming, with the Gaming Board overseeing compliance across the country.
Eswatini.- Eswatini gambling operators are entering a new era of regulation, as they are now compelled to register clients using national identity (ID) documents. The Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs has mandated this requirement for all operators, a move designed to prevent underage gambling and enforce responsible gaming practices across the country.
The ministry said, according to Times of Eswatini: “The ministry takes this opportunity to urge all emaSwati to take precautions to protect their children from harm, starting within the home. It is not everything that can or should be monitored by government, hence the need for all citizens to bear their responsibilities – it is the right thing to do.”
Consultations are already underway with operators that have the technological capacity to implement the system. The Gaming Board will oversee all gaming activities, including underage gambling, levies, addiction and money laundering.
Officials highlighted challenges where mobile numbers are registered under elderly family members but used by school children. Parents have been urged to actively monitor their children’s device usage.
Parliament takes action
The announcement follows concerns raised by Gilgal Member of Parliament Sifiso Gadlela during the debate on the ministry’s second-quarter performance report. Gadlela warned that “schoolgoing children, increasingly reliant on mobile devices for academic research, could be drawn into gambling instead of focusing on their studies”. The ministry’s response was included in its formal debate submissions.
In a broader effort to regulate gambling, Eswatini has recently taken significant steps to address underage participation and online gambling platforms. In September 2025, the House of Assembly approved a motion to establish a centralised system for monitoring online gambling operators. This decision addressed gaps in the 2022 Gaming Act, which primarily covers land-based casinos and bookmakers but does not regulate online platforms. The motion specifies that online operators must implement mechanisms to verify clients’ ages and identities, providing an added layer of protection for minors.
The motion, introduced by MP Charles Ndlovu, urges Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Simelane to implement a framework aimed at preventing underage access to gambling and providing support for individuals facing gambling addiction. Parliament has also requested a timeline for the implementation of these measures to ensure swift enforcement.
These measures mark a decisive step toward a safer, more responsible gambling environment in Eswatini, combining regulatory oversight with a call for parental vigilance to protect the nation’s youth.
