14 August 2025
Minister Tiroeaone Ntsima has called for urgent intervention to prevent a surge in addiction and financial instability.
The Botswana government is stepping up efforts to combat a growing gambling crisis, with officials warning that unchecked betting, especially among young people, is putting lives and livelihoods at risk.
Speaking at the unveiling of a new national report, Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, Hon. Tiroeaone Ntsima, called for urgent intervention to prevent a surge in addiction and financial instability.
He said: “Our goal is not to eliminate gambling but to protect those who are most at risk.”
Ntsima stressed that the challenge has moved beyond casual entertainment into a pressing social concern, with the research painting a human, not just statistical, picture of the crisis.
He further warned of the dangers posed by unregulated platforms, saying:
“Online and illegal gambling platforms present serious dangers, especially to young people, as they exploit their vulnerabilities and lack safeguards to prevent addiction.”
“Without intervention, Botswana risks a surge in addiction and financial instability among its youth.”
Behind the warnings lies data from the Botswana Gambling Authority and Integrated Research Hub, showing that 36.6 per cent of the population, around 850,000 people, are active gamblers.
Of those, more than 20 per cent are underage, with some as young as 10 engaging in informal games for small stakes. Young adults aged 21–35 make up 56 per cent of gamblers, and problem gambling affects 6.7 per cent of the total, climbing to 12 per cent among those using illegal platforms. Unemployment plays a significant role, with 42 per cent of problem gamblers currently unemployed.
Authorities are now weighing up a multi-pronged strategy, stricter regulations, awareness campaigns, counselling services and economic empowerment programmes, to tackle the crisis before it worsens.
Source: https://shorturl.at/J5syx
