Lesotho turns to mobile raffle to fund sports development
Lesotho’s mobile sports raffle offers regular cash prizes and a vehicle prize, aiming to generate additional funding for national and grassroots sports development.
Key takeaways:
- Lesotho’s Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC) and Imajin & Fusion Lesotho are operating a mobile-based sports raffle.
- Participants can enter for M3 through the raffle’s online platform, mobile application or USSD code *320#.
- The raffle has awarded more than M500,000 in cash prizes, with proceeds intended to support sports development in Lesotho.
Lesotho.- Lesotho is turning to a mobile-based raffle to support national sports development, with the Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC) and its partner, Imajin & Fusion Lesotho, offering recurring cash prizes and a Chery Tiggo 4 Pro. The initiative aims to create an additional funding stream for sport, with the amount available for national and grassroots programmes depending on the revenue generated and the funds ultimately directed towards these activities.
The LSRC and Imajin & Fusion Lesotho unveiled a 2026 Chery Tiggo 4 Pro on October 16 at AVANI Hotel & Casino, ahead of the grand draw scheduled for November 27 at Maseru Mall.
The National Sports Raffle Draw Initiative was set in motion through two agreements signed by the LSRC on July 31. “The Lesotho Sports Raffle is here to build the game; it is here to develop our sport,” said Arnold Asante, chief executive of Imajin & Fusion Lesotho, according to Sunday Express.
Participants can enter through the official LSRC website, the raffle’s mobile application or by dialling *320# on a mobile phone. Each entry costs M3 (US$0.18). Weekly cash prizes of M5,000 (US$302), M10,000 (US$604), M15,000 (US$906) and M60,000 (US$3,624) are offered, with draws every Friday. A vehicle is offered every 90 days.
The LSRC reportedly said the raffle had awarded more than M500,000 (US$30,200) in cash prizes. This represents prize payouts, not total revenue raised or funds allocated to sport.
LENA reported that Imajin & Fusion Lesotho had committed US$200,000 (M3.30m) towards the digital platform, operational systems, marketing, prizes and launch.
Harness Technology and Splitz Marketing are also involved, providing USSD services, mobile-money integration, payment processing, revenue collection, daily settlement, reconciliation, reporting and transaction monitoring, according to LENA.
LSRC president Baba Malephane said the initiative was intended to encourage public involvement in sports funding. “We cannot always wait for the government to do things for us when we have the responsibility and the potential to bring about change on our own,” Malephane said. He added: “This initiative is not for me or the LSRC, but for Basotho and the future of sport in this country.”
The LSRC has outlined safeguards including independent audits, public broadcasts of draws and oversight by a multisector steering committee. The commission has not disclosed the raffle’s revenue or net proceeds allocated to sport, and its specific licensing authorisation remains unconfirmed in the reports reviewed.
