Zimbabwe gaming regulator posts US$1.89m revenue for 2025 amid reform push
Zimbabwe’s Lotteries and Gaming Board has tightened enforcement against illegal operators and completed a governance overhaul, as the government prepares to update the legislation that governs the sector.
Zimbabwe.- Zimbabwe’s Lotteries and Gaming Board generated ZiG47.97m (US$1.89m) in revenue during 2025, with an operational surplus of ZiG2.48m (US$97,800), chief executive Godfrey Mutobaya said, as the regulator advanced plans to modernise gambling oversight.
The regulator made the disclosure at its Fifth Annual General Meeting on August 4 in Harare, where it presented its 2025 performance and detailed measures to improve regulation and compliance.
During the year, joint operations with law enforcement agencies led to 29 arrests and the confiscation of 94 illegal gaming machines, which were destroyed following a court order, Mutobaya said.
Institutional changes were another feature of 2025. Eugenia Chidhakwa, chairperson of the Lotteries and Gaming Board, said the Board had achieved full compliance with corporate governance requirements, appointed a substantive chief executive and established seven committees. Mutobaya said ten additional staff were recruited across compliance, finance, procurement and human resources.
Beyond regulation, the Board supported community development projects during the year, including classroom construction, skills-training facilities and improvements at heritage sites, Mutobaya said.
The regulator is also looking to increase its ability to monitor gambling activity electronically. Chidhakwa said the Board plans to introduce a real-time Gaming Management System that will improve oversight of operators and revenue reporting.
The regulatory framework is also set for changes. Chidhakwa noted that the government is processing amendments to the Lotteries and Gaming Act to update the legislation governing the sector.
The reforms come amid concerns over the growth of illegal online gambling and gambling-related harm among young people. Chidhakwa said stronger technological controls and cooperation with relevant stakeholders would be used to address the risks.
Home affairs and cultural heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe also spoke at the AGM, urging all gambling operators to comply with existing laws and place consumer protection at the centre of their activities.
Kazembe warned that illegal gambling could undermine state revenue and expose players to exploitation. He also called for stronger responsible-gambling measures to protect vulnerable customers.
