Eswatini minister faces contempt threat over delayed gambling regulations

The proposed rules are expected to clarify gambling licence fees and introduce measures such as voluntary self-exclusion for players.

Key takeaways:

• Eswatini’s tourism and environmental affairs minister, Jane Simelane, faces the possibility of a contempt of Parliament citation over the delayed gambling regulations.
• Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini raised the issue during a Portfolio Committee debate on November 4, arguing that the missed deadline went beyond an administrative delay.
• Simelane said the draft regulations are with the Attorney General’s Office and blamed a lengthy development process involving multiple officials and stakeholders.
• The proposed rules would establish a formal fee schedule for gambling licence applications and renewals, as well as a voluntary self-exclusion system for players.
• The ministry has held around 10 meetings with operators, lawmakers, internal stakeholders, police and prosecutors while developing the framework.

Eswatini.- Eswatini’s minister of tourism and environmental affairs, Jane Simelane, is facing the possibility of being cited for contempt of Parliament after failing to submit the country’s long-awaited gambling regulations despite a parliamentary directive and an established deadline. The issue arose during a Portfolio Committee debate on the ministry’s second-quarter performance report on November 4, 2026, when Mbabane East member of parliament (MP) Welcome Dlamini criticised the continued delay in presenting the regulations to the House of Assembly.

He argued that the failure to comply with the directive had gone beyond an ordinary administrative delay and could amount to contempt of Parliament. Dlamini said: “The gambling issue is serious. As a committee, we need to take it seriously. We did request regulations, but up until today the minister has not brought anything.” He added that the committee had already informed the Government Assurances Committee about the missed deadline.

In response, Simelane said the regulations had undergone a lengthy development process, including a validation exercise conducted at the beginning of 2026. She confirmed that the draft was currently with the Attorney General’s Office for consideration. The minister also rejected the suggestion that the delay rested solely with her, saying the process involved several officials and stakeholders whose cooperation was necessary to complete the work.

Simelane alleged that some individuals had failed to fulfil their responsibilities, affecting the ministry’s ability to progress with the regulations. She cited difficulties in arranging a venue for a stakeholder workshop, claiming that she had to find an alternative after an individual refused to sign the necessary documentation. She also said some stakeholders had indicated that they would not attend the workshop without refreshments, although the validation exercise eventually proceeded.

The parliamentary dispute comes after repeated assurances from the ministry that the regulations would be completed to support the implementation of the Gaming Control Act of 2022. On July 1, Simelane told Parliament that the regulations would be presented during the third quarter of the financial year. She attributed the delay to the extensive consultations required to finalise the framework and the complexity of the gambling industry.

The proposed regulations would establish a formal fee schedule to simplify the processing of new gambling licence applications and renewals. They would also introduce responsible gambling measures, including a proposed self-exclusion system through which players could voluntarily limit their gambling activity.

The ministry has held around 10 meetings with gaming operators, lawmakers, internal stakeholders, police and prosecutors to gather input on the proposed regulatory framework.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

• Why is Eswatini’s tourism minister facing a contempt threat? Jane Simelane faces the possibility of a contempt citation after failing to present the long-delayed gambling regulations to Parliament despite a directive and deadline. MP Welcome Dlamini said the failure to comply went beyond an ordinary administrative delay.
• What would Eswatini’s proposed gambling regulations change? The draft regulations would establish a formal fee schedule to simplify gambling licence applications and renewals. They would also introduce responsible gambling measures, including a voluntary self-exclusion system allowing players to limit their gambling activity.
• What is the status of the regulations? Simelane said the draft regulations are currently with the Attorney General’s Office for consideration. She attributed the delay to a lengthy development process, stakeholder consultations and difficulties coordinating with officials and other stakeholders.