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Under the campaign banner #PlaySafeAfrica, each day of this week will focus on a specific aspect of safer gambling. These include responsible gambling, personal limits and the prevention of underage gambling.
The week will feature a coordinated programme of engagement between regulators and the industry, as well as public education and digital awareness activities.
Peter Kesitilwe, CEO of the AiA, said the industry’s growth must be matched by a stronger focus on player protection, highlighting the need for greater collaboration between regulators and operators.
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Caroline Lamb informed a recent review that the current responsibility of annually processing over 500 ClubGRANTS applications within a short time frame imposed significant constraints.
Lamb described this task as “practically limiting the authority’s ability to most effectively monitor compliance” across the scheme.
She suggested that the State Revenue chief commissioner’s office would be better equipped to manage what she characterised as a tax rebate programme.
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Kemorwale said Botswana needed to modernise oversight as the sector developed, including through a central electronic monitoring system and stronger enforcement capability. “Truth be told, this industry is evolving as the sun rises. You snooze, you lose,” Kemorwale said. He added that the Authority still relies on outside specialists for some technical regulatory work because domestic expertise is limited.
Illegal betting remained a central enforcement concern. In December 2025, the Gambling Authority and Financial Intelligence Agency were reported to be investigating eight foreign-based betting websites allegedly using local proxies to operate in Botswana.
Authorities were also reported to be working with communications and financial-sector bodies to restrict access to illegal platforms and disrupt associated payment channels.
