Zimbabwe raises licensing fees for all lotteries, casinos and betting shops

Zimbabwe government last week raised licensing fees for all gambling houses, lotteries, casinos and betting shops, which are now pegged at $250,000.

The latest fee changes were carried in an extraordinary government gazette by Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe, with the new rates coming into effect immediately, as reported by DailyNews.

The verifying and processing of a permanent casino license or lottery license applications were also fixed at $250,000. The renewal of a totalisator license, verifying and processing totalisator license application is up to $50,000 while the issue or renewal of a gaming house license or verifying and processing a gaming house license application is now fixed at $50,000 as well. For the issue or renewal of a bookmaker's license or the verifying and processing bookmaker's license is also set at $50,000.

Zimbabwe has plenty of licensed land-based casinos and a State-run lottery game. The Zimbabwe Lotteries and Gambling Board regulates gambling activities within the border under the Lotteries and Gambling Act. If players win any money while horse or sports betting or pool betting, they have to pay the government a 10 percent tax. If they win a jackpot while playing casino games, they have to pay a 15 percent tax. The board also grants licences to individuals and companies who want to run betting and gambling establishments within Zimbabwe.

Licensed gambling activities generate sizable revenue for the government of Zimbabwe and most of this revenue is generated by the activities of tourists who enjoy playing casino games in its land-based casinos.

In recent years, there has been a huge proliferation of betting houses driven by the popularity of European football especially the English Premier League. Before the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020, betting houses were always full to the brim particularly on weekends with punters placing their bets on different matches.

Most of the betting houses had also invested in online platforms allowing punters to place bets remotely using mobile money transfer platforms and Visa cards. With betting houses currently closed due to the lockdown, punters are currently placing their bets online.