⚡🇹🇿 The Tanzanian regulator plans to issue 14,124 licenses (845 new operators and 13,279 renewals) over the course of a year and generate $11.15 million in revenue from the gambling sector reform

Global goals of the reform

The Ministry of Finance of Tanzania has presented the draft national budget for the 2025/26 fiscal year, outlining new steps to regulate the rapidly growing gambling sector.

The goal is to turn the betting industry into a regulated source of income, fighting illegal gambling and strengthening control over licensing and compliance with the law.

Licensing plan

The Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT) is launching a large-scale licensing campaign:

• 845 new licenses for gambling operators
• 13,279 renewals of existing licenses

In total — 14,124 licenses in one fiscal year.

Expected revenue

The government expects that these measures will generate 29.89 billion Tanzanian shillings or $11.15 million for the national budget.

Strengthening control and oversight

According to the Minister of Finance Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba, the country is strengthening control over gambling to:

• Protect players’ interests
• Ensure fair play
• Increase tax collection efficiency

Fighting illegal gambling

GBT has already planned:

• 12 inspections with risk assessments
• 4 operations for the forced closure of illegal sites

All activities are aimed at identifying and holding accountable illegal operators working in the shadows.

Information campaign and youth protection

In addition to legal measures, the government of Tanzania is launching a national information campaign focused on:

• Raising awareness about the consequences of gambling addiction
• Promoting responsible gambling, especially among the youth

Social focus

The government emphasizes that one of the goals of the reform is to mitigate the social consequences of uncontrolled gambling activity.

Economic prospects and digitalization

The revenue from the gambling sector reform will be directed towards:

• Modernizing state-owned enterprises
• Expanding digital infrastructure
• Improving data-driven decision-making quality

These steps will be part of Tanzania’s broader economic strategy.

Clear signal from the authorities

The Tanzanian authorities are making it clear: the era of weak gambling regulation is coming to an end. Through licensing, oversight, and education, the country aims to make the gambling industry an example of transparency and control.

For more details on the reform, you can read more.