Botswana's illegal gambling market reaches P500m

The amount punters lose after winnings are paid out rose to P250 million per annum, whilst betting on illegal and unregulated platforms surged even higher, reaching P500 million this year, according to fresh data from the Gambling Authority. The figures highlight a growing divide between the regulated gambling market and the booming underground sector.

Gambling Authority acting CEO Moruntshi Kemorwale shared the findings this week at the Botswana Economic Forum in Gaborone, highlighting the lightning speed growth of betting in the country. "We did research with the University of Botswana and found that now the illegal gambling market has grown to P500 million. This meant that the unregulated gambling market is twice the value of the regulated one," he said.