Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) is holding six regional consultations on proposed amendments to the country’s lotteries and gambling regulations.
The meetings, taking place between 5 and 14 October, are intended to validate proposed changes to the Lotteries Act and Regulations and the Gambling and Gambling Activities Regulations.
Consultations Cover Six Towns And Follow National Engagement
The consultations are scheduled for Keetmanshoop, Swakopmund, Oshakati, Rundu, Otjiwarongo and Windhoek. Each meeting begins at 09:00, with the final session taking place in Windhoek on 14 October.
MEFT has invited members of the public and gaming stakeholders to participate before the proposed amendments are finalised.
The reform package covers operator fees, monitoring obligations, licensing arrangements, digital gambling and lottery activity. The regional programme follows a nationwide consultation held across all 14 regions between March and April.
New Fees And Digital Monitoring Form Part Of Reform Package
The proposals include a 1% maintenance fee on gross income to support Namibia’s Central Electronic Monitoring System (CEMS), together with a 5% monitoring fee on net monthly income.
Application and registration fees would vary by operator category, including bars and shebeens, bookmakers and totalisators. A 5% levy on promotional competition prizes and a N$2,000 processing fee have also been proposed.
The amendments would introduce an electronic software lottery licence and clearer rules for digital platforms. They would also allow data sharing between regulators and the Namibia Revenue Agency concerning undeclared income involving operators and winners.
The Gambling Board of Namibia is seeking a remote, online and real-time CEMS to record gambling activity and transactions. It is also developing integrated licensing, workflow and document-management systems.
Namibia’s consultation process points to a regulatory framework being redesigned around digital activity, real-time monitoring and stronger tax visibility. The proposed fees could improve oversight and fund new technology, although operators must assess their effect on market entry and operating costs.
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