Mmegi

How the house always wins Batswana’s disposable incomes

Everyday people: The new betting sites and stores are spreading their nets wide for punters PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Everyday people: The new betting sites and stores are spreading their nets wide for punters PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

Gambling addiction in Botswana is leaving scores of people with little left in their pockets whilst also intensifying the competition for every thebe in the consumer’s pocket. Beneath the get-rich-quick promise is a powerful psychological belief, writes Mmegi staffer, TIMOTHY LEWANIKA

Local social media algorithms are ablaze with posts of a punter turning P1 to P1 million, a true opium story for any struggling layman.

The belief that P1 can turn into P1 million without having to sell your kidney has locked many into a maze, chasing a quick buck. The little that consumers have as disposable income has been a fierce battleground between retailers, insurance companies, leisure and hospitality service providers, with portion changes being instigated by the mass adoption of betting.

Editor's Comment
Deadly weekend demands immediate vigilance

The heartbreaking reports carried elsewhere on this publication of a woman killed in Metsimotlhabe and four family members perishing near Metsimaswaana Bridge are, devastatingly, not isolated incidents. They represent the sharp, painful tip of a weekend that has seen far too many collisions, injuries, and losses on the roads. This alarming spike in fatalities is a screaming siren we cannot ignore. It compels a direct and urgent plea to every...

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