Malawi: Gambling laws, betting and lotteries

Legal overview

Legal overview

Malawi regulates gaming, sports betting and lotteries through MAGLA under the Gaming and Lotteries Act 2022. The unified authority replaced the former separate gaming and lottery boards and publishes licence categories and operator lists.

Regulatory developments

The record includes the 2025 advertising and sports-betting regulations and 2026 licensing notices.

Responsible gambling

Responsible gambling

Participation by people under 18 is prohibited. MAGLA provides self-exclusion, complaints channels, a toll-free 4252 helpline and referrals for counselling.

Regulated

Casino

Current position

Malawi now regulates casinos through the unified Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority rather than the former gaming board. MAGLA publishes casino locations and licensees, so a country page can test a claim against an official list instead of relying on an operator logo. Online access should be treated separately from a premises licence, and no remote casino should be described as locally authorised without matching evidence from MAGLA. Advertising also needs a current review under the rules introduced in 2025.

Licensing

MAGLA issues casino and related gaming licences under the 2022 Act.

Online availability

Remote availability is not sufficient; the offered activity must fall within a current MAGLA licence.

Advertising and commercial links

Casino promotion is subject to the 2025 advertising and marketing rules.

Responsible gambling

Malawi casino pages must use 18+, link the MAGLA self-exclusion process and helpline 4252, and describe gambling as entertainment rather than income.

Regulated

Sports betting

Current position

Sports betting in Malawi requires a specific MAGLA licence. The Authority's 2026 application notice cites section 27 of the Gaming and Lotteries Act and the 2025 Sports Betting Regulations, while its operator register identifies the websites associated with approved brands. A useful Malawi comparison should therefore record both the licensed company and its verified domain. A familiar name, mobile-money support or an international licence does not replace local permission.

Licensing

Section 27 of the 2022 Act empowers MAGLA to issue sports-betting licences.

Online availability

Websites should be matched to the registered website or channel in MAGLA records.

Advertising and commercial links

The 2025 marketing rules apply, and promotions must not target children or vulnerable people.

Responsible gambling

Betting coverage should be restricted to adults, avoid income claims and place spending limits, self-exclusion and the free 4252 support line beside promotional links.

Restricted

Predictions

Current position

A Malawi prediction article can remain independent editorial analysis when it accepts no stake and awards no prize. MAGLA nevertheless provides a formal promotional-competition application process, so a paid picks contest or chance-based campaign should not be published as ordinary content. Pages must separate the forecast, sponsorship and betting action. Claims such as guaranteed win or fixed return are misleading because even informed sports analysis cannot remove uncertainty from the result.

Licensing

Free editorial forecasts are distinct from gambling, while paid prize or promotional competitions require regulatory assessment and may require MAGLA approval.

Online availability

A forecast becomes higher risk when it accepts payment, awards a chance-based prize or directly facilitates a wager.

Advertising and commercial links

Sponsored tips and operator links must comply with the 2025 marketing rules and be clearly disclosed.

Responsible gambling

Prediction pages should use 18+ wherever betting is involved, reject loss-recovery language and direct readers experiencing harm to MAGLA's confidential support options.

Regulated

Lotteries

Current position

Malawi's official register separates national lottery licences from unspecified lottery permissions. That distinction matters because a national draw, a commercial promotion and a small chance-based scheme may follow different approval routes. A Malawi lottery page should name the legal organiser, verify its MAGLA category and publish the ticket price, draw method and claim deadline. Website or mobile distribution is only a channel and should never be treated as proof of authorisation by itself.

Licensing

MAGLA issues national, unspecified and other lottery permissions under the 2022 Act.

Online availability

A digital ticket channel still needs to belong to an authorised lottery operator.

Advertising and commercial links

Promoters should identify the licence, draw rules and prize-claim procedure.

Responsible gambling

Lottery coverage should be 18+, avoid describing tickets as savings, encourage a fixed entertainment budget and link to MAGLA for licence checks or self-exclusion.

Regulators and contacts

Regulators and contacts

Primary sources

Primary sources

• Invitation for sports betting licence applications 2026 — Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority
• Legislation, forms and responsible-gambling resources — Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority
• MAGLA mandate, responsible gambling and contacts — Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority
• Licensed operators — Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority