Gaming in TANZANIA

Gaming in Tanzania is regulated by Gaming Board of Tanzania. it was established under the Gaming Act Cap. 41 and became effective on 1st July 2003.

It is responsible for overseeing, monitoring and regulating the conduct of gaming activities in Tanzania. Mr Mbalwe the Director of Gaming Board of Tanzania said that more than 20,000 people have secured direct jobs in the companies engaged in gaming sports, thus becoming one of the important sources of employment.

There are 3 cities with gaming facilities in Tanzania which have 9 legal gaming facilities available in total. The largest gaming city in Tanzania is Dar es Salaam with 7 gaming facilities, 46 tables games, 651 gaming, slot, and video poker machines. The largest casino in the entire country of Tanzania is Le Grande Casino which is located in Dar es SalaamLe Grande Casino has 10 table games, 200 gaming and video poker machines.

The rapid spread of sports betting in Tanzania has been aided by developments in mobile technology that have allowed punters to place bets with ease. The gaming board of Tanzania projects that government revenues from gaming could hit almost $42 million in 2019. Last year’s revenues were roughly $34million. Sports betting revenues which are taxed 25% provided the government with over $5 million in 2016. In the same year, sports betting over took casino revenue generating over $15 million. Gaming and betting brought the government of Tanzania $36 million in 2017/2018.

Below are some of the most popular online sportsbooks:

  1. SportPesa
  2. Meridanbet
  3. M-bet
  4. Mkeka bet
  5. Princess Bet
  6. Premier Betting
  7. Throne Bet

In January 2016, Gaming Board of Tanzania destroyed illegal slot machines. The committee said the machines were destined to be used for gaming purposes in the city but they were not cleared by the board. They said those machines were unfit to be used in the gaming activities, and they would keep on destroying all such kind of machines that will be caught during impromptu inspections.

On 2nd August 2019, the Gaming Board of Tanzania issued an announcement that they would temporarily cease issuing licenses for sports betting and gaming machines inorder to make an assessment of the market’s ability to handle new operators.