Yes, betting is legal in Botswana and it is a regulated market. Casinos, sports betting, bingo, gaming machines and private lotteries operate under licences issued by the Gambling Authority (Motshameko O Phepha) under the Gambling Act No. 7 of 2012. In 2025 the Authority moved decisively into online betting: it issued ten bookmaker licences and, in February 2025, approved Sunbet as the country’s first licensed online betting operator. Botswana therefore sits firmly in the legal-and-regulated camp for both land-based and bookmaker gambling, with online-specific licensing now being formalised in practice.

The Gambling Authority is the sole national regulator. Under the Gambling Act it grants distinct licence categories including casino, lottery, betting/bookmaker, bingo, gaming machines and employee licences. Applicants must meet integrity, financial-suitability and anti-money-laundering requirements. Only operators holding valid Gambling Authority licences may lawfully offer gambling in Botswana; unlicensed operations are prohibited.

The original Gambling Act, 2012 did not spell out ‘online gambling’, which for years left web betting in a grey zone. That gap has been closing: the Authority licensed online and land-based bookmakers through 2025, has spoken about adopting AI-supported anti-money-laundering indicators, and publishes an official list of licensed operators. The regulated market is growing quickly — the Authority forecast operating revenue of about P108 million (roughly US$7.9 million) for 2025/26, and reported that sector gross gambling revenue crossed P700 million by the end of 2025.

Licensed operators vs offshore sites

Licensed operators such as Sunbet Botswana (Pty) Ltd and Betway Botswana (operated by Delta Bay (Pty) Ltd) run under Gambling Authority oversight and must follow the Authority’s licence conditions, with fines or licence action for breaches. Betting with a locally licensed operator gives you recourse through the regulator, and the Authority publishes its list of licensed betting operators so consumers can check.

Many Batswana also access international gambling websites. Because those sites are not licensed in Botswana, they fall outside local consumer protection — if a payout is withheld or an account is closed, the Gambling Authority cannot help. Prefer a locally licensed operator wherever possible.

Payments and crypto

Local betting runs in Botswana pula (BWP). Typical deposit and withdrawal methods are mobile money, debit and credit cards, and bank transfer. Crypto is legal in Botswana and regulated under the Virtual Assets Act, 2022, which licenses Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) through the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA); operating without a licence can bring a fine of up to P250,000 and/or up to five years’ imprisonment. However, crypto is not legal tender and it is not an approved payment channel for licensed Botswana gambling. Any crypto gambling therefore happens on offshore platforms, outside local oversight, so treat it with extra caution.

Winnings tax

Botswana’s Gambling Act does not levy a specific personal tax on gambling winnings, so casual winnings are generally not treated as a taxable income category for players. Licensed operators pay standard corporate income tax (the standard rate rose to 23.5% for 2025/26) plus licensing and supervisory fees to the Gambling Authority. If your winnings are substantial or you gamble as a business, confirm your position with the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS).

Safer gambling and help

The Gambling Authority runs responsible-gambling services including a self-exclusion portal (selfhelp.gamblingauthority.co.bw), Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) screening, and counselling referrals. Reach the Authority on info@gamblingauthority.co.bw or +267 395 7672; fraud/tip-off lines are Orange 1144, Mascom 71119604 and BTC 0800600644 (email gamblingauthority@tip-offs.com). If gambling stops being fun, set deposit limits, take a break, or use self-exclusion.

Gambling is for adults 18+ only. Bet only what you can afford to lose, and seek help if it becomes a problem.

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