Zimbabwe seeks to direct sports betting revenue into grassroots sport
Officials say regulatory policy should convert betting industry revenue into grassroots infrastructure, athlete pathways and longer-term financial protection for players.
Key takeaways:
- Zimbabwe’s government has called for regulatory policies to channel sports betting revenue into grassroots infrastructure and athlete development.
- Permanent secretary Nicholas Moyo made the call at the Kuzana Sport and Creative Economy Expo in Bulawayo on October 7.
- Moyo described sports betting as a “billion-dollar” industry and said it should not be treated solely as consumer activity.
- The expo also examined athlete wealth protection, intellectual property formalisation and ways to create investment, employment and sustainable economic value through sport.
Zimbabwe.- Zimbabwe’s government has called for regulatory policies to channel revenue from the “billion-dollar” sports betting industry into grassroots infrastructure and athlete development, as the country explores ways to commercialise its sports industry. The call was made at the Kuzana Sport and Creative Economy Expo in Bulawayo on October 7, where African iGaming Alliance (AiA) CEO Peter Emolemo Kesitilwe also participated in discussions on betting’s role in African sports development.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Nicholas Moyo called for the betting industry to contribute more directly to sports development. “Rather than treating the booming sports betting industry as strictly consumer activity, we must leverage regulatory policies to channel revenue from the billion-dollar industry directly into grassroots infrastructure and national development for athletes in order to achieve meaningful pathways,” Moyo said, according to the Herald.
Kesitilwe was a featured speaker at a session titled “Safeguarding the Game: The Billion-Dollar Pivot – Turning Sports Betting into an Engine for African Sports Development”. According to AiA’s LinkedIn announcement, the discussion examined sports betting’s potential to support African sports development alongside responsible regulation, sporting integrity and consumer protection. Kesitilwe joined Dr M. P. Chingozha, Dr N. Kaseke and K. Ndlovu on the panel, moderated by Yvonne Mangunda.
Moyo also highlighted the need to protect athletes’ wealth and help them preserve the long-term value of their careers. “We need structures that protect players’ wealth. Formalise intellectual property and transform temporary earnings into permanent financial assets,” he said.
The expo explored opportunities to generate investment, employment and sustainable economic value through sponsorship, broadcasting, sports tourism, merchandising and intellectual property. Running from October 7 to 11 at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds in Bulawayo, the event brought together government representatives, sports administrators, athletes and business leaders under the theme “Towards Vision 2030 through Sport and Creative Industries”.
