Botswana is a landlocked nation in Southern Africa that is bordered by the Indian Ocean. Generally speaking, gambling is legal, and there is a well-regulated and well-functioning gaming board that allows for the operation of all of the most prevalent kinds of gambling.
The operation of online casinos and the transmission of wagers via SMS are also permitted in Botswana, provided that operators apply for and receive proper licensing under the Gambling Act, 2012. However, players are free to visit offshore online betting sites if they so choose, as there is no law prohibiting them from doing so.
Moreover, the government finds gambling to be an extremely profitable industry, with casino, sports betting, and lottery being the most popular forms of gambling that generate significant amounts of revenue for the country gaming board. However, the country has recently laid out plans to diversify its economy away from the weakening diamond market, with a particular emphasis on the service industry, and the government’s intention was clear when they announced the establishment of a gambling commission.
It is estimated that 237 employees were laid off during the financial year 2017/2018, representing a single-digit decrease from the previous year’s total of 238 employees. He also stated that the country has collected over P80 million in casino levies, with the current financial year’s total of P26 million, and that the success of the increase can be linked to the increased number of tourists visiting the country, which is making the gambling business more viable in the country.
Online gambling is legal in Botswana, which has opened the door to new gambling options in the nation, which may be attributed to the country’s increased connectivity to the internet and the prevalence of smartphone use. Despite this, according to the study Internet World Stats, online penetration in Botswana was at 47.0 percent in 2019, with millions of internet users, while smartphone internet subscriptions climbed by 50.0 percent during the first quarter of 2019, which is on the higher end of the scale.
Tourism
Botswana is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa, and the country is a haven for visitors looking to experience the genuine spirit of an African safari. The country is also home to a thriving arts and crafts industry. The country offers a variety of activities ranging from thrilling activities to unforgettable experiences. From the gambling sector to wildlife encounters, Botswana has it all. According to Myra T. Sekgororoane, CEO of Botswana Tourism Organization, the country’s tourism economy grew by 3.4 percent last year, surpassing the $2.5 billion mark. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) annual review of the economic impact and social importance of the tourism sector, Botswana
This represents 13.4 percent of total economic effect in Botswana, and it has resulted in the creation of 84,000 new employment. Leisure travelers accounted for 8.9 percent of total employment, with 96 percent of Travel & Tourism spending in the economy coming from leisure visitors and only 4 percent from business travelers. International travel accounted for a disproportionately large share of total employment (8.9 percent), with a strong emphasis on international travel. Even though Botswana is considered a jewel in the crown of Sub-Saharan Africa’s travel and tourism sector, as previously stated, gambling is big business in the country, and the tourism industry has made significant contributions to the casino industry, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
The Index of Economic and Human Development (HDI)
Since independence, the country’s economy has had robust and consistent development, with large fiscal buffers and smart policies playing a critical role in protecting the economy from the effects of weak and volatile diamond markets. It saw robust growth in 2018, with an annual rate of 4.5 percent; nevertheless, the nation experienced a decrease of 4 percent in 2019, indicating weak trends in global diamond mining and a less buoyant private sector. The economy is predicted to stay stable in the medium term, thanks to the government’s capacity to adopt a new development model based on diversification strategies, as detailed in the country’s National Development Plan (NPD 11). Despite the fact that the nation’s HDI value for 2018 is 0.728, which places the country in the high human development category and places it at 94 out of 189 countries, the country’s HDI value has increased from 0.570 to 0.728, representing a 27.6 percent rise in 2018.
What the foreseeable future may contain
When it comes to the gambling sector, technical advancements are essential for improvement. The country’s gaming board has done a commendable job of facilitating the legalization of online gambling. Though since online gambling is allowed and Botswana is one of the few countries in Africa that online gambling is regulated which shows the country willingness to diversify the country economy and gambling has been one of the service industry that is thriving in this country.