Namibia announces six public consultations on gambling and lottery reforms
Operators could face new monitoring fees, a levy on promotional prizes and data sharing with the revenue agency.
Key takeaways:
- Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism will conduct six public consultations on proposed gambling and lottery reforms from October 5 to 14.
- The consultations will take place in Keetmanshoop, Swakopmund, Oshakati, Rundu, Otjiwarongo and Windhoek.
- Proposed measures include changes to licensing and registration fees, monitoring requirements and digital gambling and lottery rules.
- The proposals include a 1 per cent maintenance fee and 5 per cent monitoring fee, alongside measures linked to the Central Electronic Monitoring System.
- Proposed reforms include clearer rules for digital platforms and an electronic software lottery licence.
Namibia.- Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism will hold six public consultations between October 5 and 14 on proposed changes to the country’s gambling and lottery rules. The amendments would introduce monitoring and maintenance fees for operators, a levy on promotional-competition prizes and new rules for digital platforms, alongside the Gambling Board’s plans for a real-time monitoring system. The meetings follow a nationwide round held in March and April, giving communities another chance to weigh in before the proposals are validated.
The Gambling Board of Namibia (GBN) said the ministry will conduct the consultations. The Board said in a public notice: “The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism will be conducting public consultation workshops towards the validation of proposed amendments to the Lotteries Act and Regulations, and the Gambling and Gambling Activities Regulations.”
Among the proposals are a 1 per cent maintenance fee on operators’ gross income to support the Central Electronic Monitoring System (CEMS), alongside a 5 per cent monitoring fee on net monthly income, according to Informanté.
The proposed fee structure would also distinguish between different types of operators. There are also plans for standardised application and registration fees, with lower costs proposed for smaller operations such as bars and shebeens and higher fees for bookmakers and totalisators.
Digital activity is also part of the reform package, with proposals for an electronic software lottery licence and clearer rules for digital platforms.
The proposals also provide for coordination with the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) through data sharing concerning undeclared income involving operators and winners. A 5 per cent levy on promotional-competition prizes and a N$2,000 processing fee are also included in the wider proposals. MEFT has published information on the gazetting of the 5 per cent levy and processing fee.
The reform process is also running alongside the GBN’s plans to strengthen its monitoring and licensing systems. The Board is seeking proposals for a CEMS capable of recording and reporting the gambling activities and transactions of licensed gambling operations through a remote, online and real-time system. A separate procurement covers an automated and integrated licensing, workflow and document-management system.
Consultations and related workshops
The GBN added that “Members of the public are invited to take note of the consultation dates, venues and times provided in the notice.” The first meeting will take place in Keetmanshoop on October 5, followed by Swakopmund on October 7. From there, the consultations move to Oshakati on October 9, Rundu on October 12, Otjiwarongo on October 13 and Windhoek on October 14, according to the notice.
All six sessions are due to start at 9 am. In Keetmanshoop, the meeting will be held at the Department of Works at Nordic Lodge, while the Swakopmund session will take place at the Swakopmund MEFT Offices. The other venues are Oshana Regional Council, Kavango East Regional Council, Town View Guest House in Otjiwarongo and NIPAM in Windhoek.
The Swakopmund Municipality has also publicised the October 7 consultation at the Swakopmund MEFT Offices. “The public is invited to participate and provide input during the consultations taking place across Namibia,” the municipality said.
The consultations form part of Namibia’s wider effort to update its gambling and lottery regulatory framework. MEFT previously conducted a nationwide consultation from March 24 to April 9, covering all 14 regions and seeking feedback on proposed changes to the framework. The process included proposals for monitoring and maintenance fees for operators.
The October public consultations are separate from the GBN’s October 15 industry workshop for bookmaker and totalisator licence applicants and key stakeholders. The session will cover licensing requirements and processes, the investigation of applications and the technical compliance of intended wagering and betting platforms.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- When and where are Namibia’s gambling reform consultations being held? The six meetings run from October 5 to 14, starting at 9am. They are in Keetmanshoop (October 5), Swakopmund (October 7), Oshakati (October 9), Rundu (October 12), Otjiwarongo (October 13) and Windhoek (October 14).
- Do the proposed reforms cover online gambling? Yes. The package proposes an electronic software lottery licence and clearer rules for digital platforms. The Gambling Board is also seeking a monitoring system able to record and report licensed activity remotely, online and in real time.
- Are the consultations the same as the Gambling Board’s October 15 workshop? No. The October 15 session is a separate industry workshop for bookmaker and totalisator licence applicants and key stakeholders. It covers licensing requirements, application investigations and the technical compliance of betting platforms.
