Finance Ministry takes bold action against illegal gambling and aims to transform the industry into a regulated, revenue-generating powerhouse.
Tanzania is doubling down on its booming gambling industry and this time, the house wants more than just a cut. Unveiling the 2025/26 national budget with a reformist flair, Finance Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba laid out a bold new game plan to tame illegal betting and tighten the government’s grip on the casino cash cow.
Forget poker faces, this move is all-in on oversight. The Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT) is gearing up for a licensing blitz, aiming to dish out a staggering 14,124 licences in just one fiscal year. That’s 845 shiny new betting permits and 13,279 renewals because apparently, the stakes just got real.
“We are strengthening regulatory oversight to safeguard players, ensure fair play and enhance revenue collection,”
– said Dr Nchemba, according to the Daily News Tanzania publication.
Crackdown, revenue, awareness
On the financial front, the government is banking on the gambling sector to deliver. With a target of 29.89 billion Tanzanian shillings ($11.15m) in revenue, the GBT is on a mission to turn the industry into a meaningful contributor to national coffers.
That cash injection will feed into broader economic reforms, which include modernising state-run enterprises and expanding digital infrastructure for better data-driven decision-making.
Besides the regulation, the GBT is launching a crackdown on unlicensed operations, with 12 risk-based inspections and four enforcement operations already in the pipeline. The goal is to root out bad actors operating in the shadows and bring them under legal scrutiny.
Equally pressing is the government’s intent to elevate public awareness. A nationwide education campaign is being developed to inform Tanzanians, especially the youth, about the real-life consequences of problem gambling.
By addressing the social fallout of unchecked betting, officials hope to reshape public perception and promote more responsible play.
The message in Tanzania is crystal clear: the days of a loosely regulated gambling scene are numbered. Through tightened controls, public outreach and a focus on economic alignment, the administration is betting big on turning the country’s gambling industry into a model of integrity and sustainability.
Source: focusgn.com