Botswana: Gambling laws, betting and lotteries

Legal overview

Legal overview

Botswana regulates gambling nationally through the Gambling Authority under the Gambling Act 2012. A licence is required to operate a gambling establishment, and the Authority states that internet or online gambling outside its licensed framework is illegal.

Regulatory developments

The Authority opened applications in May 2024 for specified paid digital, virtual, interactive and SMS competitions, games and quizzes.

Responsible gambling

Responsible gambling

The statutory age threshold is 21. The Authority offers self-exclusion, counselling access and a responsible-gambling contact channel.

Regulated

Casino

Current position

Botswana has a national casino regulator rather than a patchwork of local boards. A physical casino may operate only with a licence from the Gambling Authority. For readers comparing websites, the decisive question is not whether a brand accepts pula or displays a Botswana flag, but whether the activity is authorised by the Authority. The regulator expressly lists internet or online gambling among illegal forms when it is not licensed. Our Botswana casino pages should therefore separate licensed premises from remote casino products and avoid implying that offshore availability equals local legality.

Licensing

Land-based casinos require a Gambling Authority licence under the Gambling Act 2012.

Online availability

The Authority identifies unlicensed internet gambling as illegal; a general casino licence should not be read as permission to offer an offshore site.

Advertising and commercial links

Promotions must relate to authorised activity and comply with licence conditions.

Responsible gambling

Casino content for Botswana should use the country's 21-year threshold, direct readers to the Authority's self-exclusion and counselling services, and avoid generic 18+ wording.

Regulated

Sports betting

Current position

Sports betting in Botswana sits inside the same national licensing system as other gambling. A bookmaker needs legal permission from the Gambling Authority, and a foreign licence alone does not establish that permission. A useful country guide should show the local licence evidence, the authorised channel and the complaint route instead of ranking every reachable betting site. Because the minimum gambling age is 21, Botswana cannot reuse the 18+ notices common elsewhere in Africa.

Licensing

Bookmaking and related wagering require the applicable Authority licence.

Online availability

Remote betting must be specifically authorised; mere access from Botswana is not proof of legality.

Advertising and commercial links

Betting promotion should identify the locally authorised operator and avoid targeting people under 21.

Responsible gambling

Betting pages should encourage fixed budgets, breaks and self-exclusion, and display the Authority's responsible-gambling contact details close to commercial links.

Restricted

Predictions

Current position

A football forecast published for information is different from a paid prediction product in Botswana. Once users pay money or another valuable consideration for a chance to win a prize, the Gambling Authority's digital-gaming notice may become relevant. The page design should keep free analysis clearly separate from entry fees, pooled prizes and bookmaker calls to action. Where predictions lead directly to betting, only locally authorised operators should be referenced.

Licensing

Free editorial forecasting is not identified as gambling, but a paid prediction, quiz or competition involving consideration and a prize may require Authority registration or approval.

Online availability

The May 2024 digital-gaming notice specifically covers paid digital and interactive competitions, games and quizzes.

Advertising and commercial links

Do not present a paid tipster competition as ordinary editorial content.

Responsible gambling

Predictions should never be described as guaranteed income. Botswana-facing copy should warn against chasing losses and should apply the local 21-year rule whenever wagering is involved.

Regulated

Lotteries

Current position

Botswana does not treat every raffle or lottery-style promotion as an informal fundraising exercise. The Gambling Authority reviews private lotteries, raffles and promotional competitions, while the Gambling Act also prevents minors under 21 from buying or selling lottery tickets. A Botswana lottery guide should identify the organiser, approval basis, draw rules and prize-claim process. Digital prize schemes deserve additional scrutiny because the Authority opened a specific application route for paid digital competitions in 2024.

Licensing

The Authority licenses lottery and raffle activity provided for by the Gambling Act.

Online availability

Digital lottery-style competitions involving payment and prizes fall within the Authority's announced application framework.

Advertising and commercial links

Promotional competitions and private lotteries should not be described as authorised without evidence of approval.

Responsible gambling

Lottery content should state that tickets do not provide a savings strategy, use the 21-year threshold and link to the Authority when the status of a draw is uncertain.

Regulators and contacts

Regulators and contacts

Primary sources

Primary sources

• Contact us — Gambling Authority of Botswana
• Notice: Application of Digital Gaming — Gambling Authority of Botswana
• General information and illegal gambling guidance — Gambling Authority of Botswana