The Finance Ministry of Tanzania makes a strong move to battle illegal gambling, wanting to turn this sector into a well-managed, money-making engine. Now, Tanzania is stepping up its involvement in the quickly growing gambling industry, not settling for just a small share anymore.
During the 2025/26 national budget speech, Finance Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba showed determination for change with a plan aimed at illegal betting and stronger government control over casino profits. Oversight is taking center stage now, with no bluffing allowed. The Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT) is preparing to launch a huge licensing campaign, with intentions to issue 14,124 licenses during just one fiscal year.
This count includes 845 brand-new betting licenses and 13,279 licenses for renewal, which demonstrates the increasing seriousness of these efforts. Dr Nchemba, speaking to the Daily News Tanzania, made it clear: “We are strengthening regulatory oversight to safeguard players, ensure fair play and enhance revenue collection.” On the money side, the Tanzanian government looks at gambling as a strong source for income.
Transforming Tanzania’s Gambling Sector: Stricter Oversight, Public Awareness, and Economic Growth
Setting a goal at 29.89 billion Tanzanian shillings (equivalent to $11.15 million) in earnings, the GBT plans to make the sector add real value to the nation’s finances. This financial gain will support other economic strategies, such as upgrading state-owned enterprises and growing digital systems to make smarter decisions using data.
Additionally, the GBT will enforce stricter rules by targeting unlicensed gambling businesses, with 12 risk-based inspections and four enforcement actions ready to happen soon. With this approach, dishonest operations are expected to be identified and pushed into compliance with the law. Raising public understanding sits high on the government’s list, too.
For this purpose, an educational program for the whole country is being created, mainly to help Tanzanians, particularly young people, realise the real risks attached to gambling addiction. By tackling the negative sides of unregulated betting, leaders want to change what people think about gambling and encourage safer choices. What’s happening in Tanzania now? The message is direct: heavily controlled gambling is replacing the old lax approach. A blend of firmer rules, public education, and economic planning is set to make Tanzanian gambling an example of transparency and lasting success.
Share
20 views
Analysis
Blog
Business
Crime
Finance
M&A
Regulation
Reports
Network
About us
Privacy and policy
T&C