Mmegi

The P1 Billion betting Craze

Kemorwale PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Kemorwale PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

For the financial year ending March 2026, Botswana’s gambling revenue will hit a whopping P1 billion with just one year in operation, making Botswana one of the world's growing betting markets.

This marks a dramatic leap from the P234 million recorded in 2024, representing a staggering 400 percent year-on-year growth according to the latest figures from the Gambling Authority.

The surge has been driven largely by the explosive rise of online betting platforms, which have transformed gambling from a niche leisure activity into a mass-market digital habit. Every month, Batswana are now placing billions of pula in wagers, fueled by smartphone access, aggressive marketing, and round-the-clock betting options.

Latest Stories
Torn down: The border fence has broken down, allowing people, vehicles and animals through with ease PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE

FMD crisis: A tale of two countries

FMD throws North East into life-or-death fight

FMD-hit farmers demand access to Tati land

Farmers want slice of P97m FMD budget

A budget on the brink

In the name of love

BTO suspends CEO over Masisi’s hotel grading allegations

Gaolathe warns against costly project failures

Editor's Comment
Prudence must remain Botswana’s North star

These are not ordinary times. Yet, history reminds us that this nation has navigated difficult waters before and did so by clinging firmly to the principles of prudence and macroeconomic stability. From independence in 1966, Botswana chose a path few resource-rich countries managed to sustain. Diamond revenues were not treated as windfalls for reckless expansion, but as capital to be managed with caution. The establishment of fiscal rules,...

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up