Namibia calls for fair bookmaker licensing at GBN workshop
Namibia calls for fair bookmaker licensing as AiA highlights regulatory priorities at a GBN workshop, with no new rules reported.
Key takeaways:
- Namibia’s government called for fair and transparent bookmaker licensing at the Gambling Board of Namibia’s industry workshop in Windhoek on October 15.
- The workshop covered licensing under the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act, 2018, including application investigations and technical assessments of betting platforms.
- Minister Indileni Daniel said the government is “not prepared to gamble” with the well-being of its people and the integrity of its economy. Daniel called for fair, rigorous assessments of applicants, with the law applied consistently.
- GBN chairperson Ben Shikongo cited regulatory directives and SADC best practices, while acknowledging criticism from politicians and the public over the Board’s approach to industry operators.
- The reports reviewed identified no new licensing rules. Separately, Namibia’s October public consultations included proposed monitoring and maintenance fees to support the Central Electronic Monitoring System (CEMS).
Namibia.- Namibia’s government has called for fair and transparent bookmaker licensing, insisting the law be applied consistently and without preferential treatment. The message came at the Gambling Board of Namibia’s (GBN) Industry Consultation Workshop on the Licensing of Bookmakers and Totalizators in Windhoek, where its chairperson acknowledged political and public criticism of the Board’s approach to operators. The African iGaming Alliance (AiA) set out its own priorities of clear licensing frameworks, balanced taxation and consumer protection.
The GBN held the workshop at the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM) on October 15. The session focused on licensing requirements under the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act, 2018 (Act No. 13 of 2018), including application investigations and technical assessments of proposed wagering and betting platforms.
Environment, Forestry and Tourism Minister Indileni Daniel stressed the government’s commitment to protecting the public interest. “But there is one thing on which the government of Namibia is not prepared to gamble: the well-being of our people and the integrity of our economy. We are not ready to gamble with that,” said Daniel, according to NBC Namibia. Daniel called for applicants to undergo fair and rigorous assessments, with the law applied consistently.
GBN chairperson Ben Shikongo said the Board was under strict directives to regulate gambling and draw on best practices from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. He also acknowledged criticism from politicians and the public, saying the Board had previously been reluctant in its dealings with industry operators.
The AiA, represented by CEO Peter Emolemo Kesitilwe, also participated in the workshop. According to the alliance, Kesitilwe delivered a presentation titled “The Future of Betting in Africa: Building a Competitive, Responsible and Sustainable Industry”.
AiA identified clear licensing frameworks, balanced taxation, consumer protection and collaboration as priorities for developing a sustainable regulated betting market. These were the alliance’s stated priorities, rather than decisions adopted by the workshop.
Acting GBN CEO Johannes Erastus said a properly regulated gambling industry could contribute to investment, employment, innovation and government revenue. He emphasised the need to balance these economic opportunities against the risks gambling poses to communities.
“Our responsibility is therefore to ensure that its economic opportunities are balanced with the risk they pose to our communities through strong regulatory oversight, consumer protection, integrity and social responsibility,” Erastus said.
The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) also addressed taxation during the workshop. Discussions further covered industry standards, fairness, consumer protection, market integrity and the responsible use of technology.
The October 15 licensing workshop was separate from Namibia’s six public consultations held from October 5 to 14 on proposed gambling and lottery reforms. Those proposals include registering gambling employees who handle money amid money-laundering concerns, restricting underage online gambling and introducing a proposed 5 per cent monitoring fee on operators’ net monthly income and a 1 per cent maintenance fee on gross income to support the Central Electronic Monitoring System (CEMS). These measures remain proposals and were not confirmed outcomes of the licensing workshop.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Did Namibia announce new bookmaker licensing rules at the October 15 workshop? No new licensing rules were identified in the reports reviewed. The workshop gave applicants and industry stakeholders an opportunity to discuss licensing requirements under the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act, 2018.
- What did the African iGaming Alliance (AiA) say about betting regulation in Namibia? AiA CEO Peter Emolemo Kesitilwe identified clear licensing frameworks, balanced taxation, consumer protection and collaboration as priorities for a sustainable regulated betting market. These were the alliance’s stated positions, not decisions adopted by the workshop.
- Who attended the GBN’s bookmaker licensing workshop? The workshop brought together government representatives, gambling regulators and industry stakeholders to discuss bookmaker and totalisator licensing. The African iGaming Alliance was represented by CEO Peter Emolemo Kesitilwe, while the Namibia Revenue Agency also addressed taxation.
- What did the GBN workshop on bookmaker licensing cover? The Gambling Board of Namibia held the workshop on bookmaker and totalisator licensing under the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act, 2018. It focused on application investigations and technical assessments of proposed wagering and betting platforms.
