Gaming and Gambling industry in Botswana is projected to generate a huge windfall of over P1 billion in revenue in the next financial year.
This would be a huge leap from the average annual revenue of P250 million the industry has been generating in the past years. A growth which will offer much needed jobs, investment and income for Government, as according to the Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship Tiroeaone Ntsima.
“Globally gambling generates US$500 billion yearly, while in Botswana an average of P250 million is generated annually. Projections indicate this could surpass P1 billion in the next financial year,” said Ntsima when launching the Motshameko o Phepa campaign on Monday.
While revenue from the Gambling sector is expected to spiral, Minister Ntsima expressed concern and appealed to Batswana to engage in responsible betting and for the Gambling regulatory to have in place responsive interventions to curb addictive gambling.
“Gambling Authority is not only to regulate but to protect families, safeguard youths and strengthen our communities. Gambling must never compromise the wellbeing of our people. Findings of the National prevalence survey highlight the urgency of this work as 13 percent of gamblers in Botswana are at risk of problem gambling, while 3.4 percent are already in the problem gambling category which is slightly below the global average of five to six percent”, he pointed out.
He said these figures present a significant public health concern, but the most concerning figures are of youth and women.
“Nearly one in every five young people between the age of 18 and 24 are at risk. And women are increasingly vulnerable especially with the rise of digital betting platforms. This all demands responsive interventions. Motshameko o Phepa is timely and speaks to the aspirations of Vision 2036”, emphasized the Minister.
Motshameko o Phepa is a public education campaign spearheaded by Gambling Authority geared at reaching out to over 500 sites across the country. The campaign is a symbol of the government’s commitment to building a gambling industry that is not only safe and well regulated, but aligned to Environmental, Social and Governance principles.
The campaign which was launched in Francistown this week will run until March next year. The gambling Authority also launched its brand ambassador being world class athlete Nijel Amos, along with a team of social media influencers.
