Zambia cabinet greenlights bill to modernise gambing industry
Massive legal overhaul aims to replace outdated laws and close digital age regulatory gaps.
Zambia.- Zambia is rolling the dice on reform, and this time it is all about tightening the rules of the game.
In a bold legislative move, the Zambian cabinet has approved a bill that promises to transform the nation’s gambling and lotteries sector.
The decision, made during a cabinet meeting this week, marks an extensive effort to replace a patchwork of outdated laws with a modern regulatory framework fit for the digital age.
“The industry has grown significantly, with more casinos, lottery operators and betting companies entering the market, while the legal and supervisory frameworks have remained largely unchanged,” said chief government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa, according to RCV news.
Mweetwa said Zambia’s gambling laws have not kept up with the times. As online betting grows and new operators enter the market, from casinos and payout machines to virtual platforms and sports betting, the current rules are struggling to keep pace with the industry’s rapid changes.
The bill will repeal several key laws to help bring Zambia’s gambling sector up to date. These include the Betting and Totalizator Control Act, the State Lotteries Act, the Gaming and Machines (prohibition) Act, the Lotteries Act, the Pools Act, and sections of the Tourism and Hospitality Act related to gambling.
The new bill seeks not just to update definitions but to plug gaping holes in regulation. A glaring blind spot in the current setup is the lack of any formal registration for gambling operators, a loophole the new 2025 regulations are keen to close. The bill seeks to address the issue of the industry being largely unregulated.
Alongside the gambling shake-up, the cabinet has also given a thumbs-up to scrapping the old Public Roads Act, aiming to bring infrastructure laws to make the roads safer.
Zambia is serious about ditching outdated rules and building a gambling industry that’s transparent, accountable and built to last.
