Namibia Advances Gambling Reform Proposals Amid Regulator Staffing Concerns

Namibia has held regional validation workshops on proposed amendments to its Lotteries Regulations and Gambling and Gambling Activities Regulations, following an earlier consultation period in March and April.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) organised the October workshops, with submissions expected to be consolidated in Windhoek before the proposals proceed to the next stage of the gazetting process.

However, Environment, Forestry and Tourism Minister Indileni Daniel has warned that the Gambling Board of Namibia (GBN), which would oversee implementation, is not yet fully operational.

Proposed Monitoring System and Licensing Changes

The proposed amendments include new operator fees intended to strengthen oversight through a central electronic monitoring system (CEMS), according to NBC News.

The GBN has already begun procurement for a remote, real-time CEMS under Section 90 of the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act 2018. The system is intended to record and report gambling activity and transactions at licensed operations.

The procurement process also covers an automated licensing platform, with the tender deadline for both systems extended to 5 November.

Separately, the GBN issued a public notice for an industry consultation workshop on 15 October 2026 for bookmaker and totalisator licence applicants. The session covered licensing requirements and technical compliance for proposed betting and wagering platforms.

The amendments would also revise licensing and registration arrangements, including an electronic software lottery licence intended to regulate digital and online gaming platforms.

GBN acting chief executive Johannes Erastus said the proposed framework had been informed by research and international comparisons.

“Our laws, specifically the Act, require the boards to align with international best practices and to engage with regional and international colleagues and jurisdictions to inform and assist us in shaping the Namibian gambling space,” Erastus said, according to NBC News.

GBN chairperson Ben Shikongo has also called for operators to be brought into a formal licensing framework.

“We don’t just need to always do informal business. We need to be licensed so that we can have a genuine business,” Shikongo said during the Keetmanshoop workshop.

In a subsequent report, he urged the government to accelerate the gazetting process for fees, particularly those that had previously been high.

Existing Gambling Levies

Under Namibia’s 2021 regulations, holders of casino, gambling house, bar gambling and shebeen gambling licences pay a levy equivalent to 10% of net monthly income.

For these categories, net income is defined as gambling income after winnings have been paid out, excluding revenue from food, alcohol and other non-gambling sales. Totalisator licence holders are subject to a separate levy of 10% of gross monthly takings.

The proposed changes would need to be considered alongside this existing framework, with the final regulations determining how any revised fees would apply.

Staffing Shortages Limit Regulatory Capacity

Daniel told parliament that the GBN was not fully operational and still needed to recruit staff, according to NBC News.

The staffing shortfall is affecting the regulator’s ability to carry out its broader responsibilities, including consumer education and rehabilitation programmes. Reporting by the Namibian Sun has also highlighted difficulties overseeing gambling houses and online platforms, as well as collecting fees and levies.

“Effective regulation, especially for online gambling, is currently a challenge at the moment, not only in Namibia but globally,” Daniel said.

She also stated that applications were not being considered for activities prohibited under the current legislation.

The distinction is important because the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act defines online games separately from bets placed through communication technology with bookmakers or totalisators.

In February, Daniel said weak oversight was costing Namibia revenue and exposing citizens to gambling-related social harm, according to the Namibia Press Agency.

MEFT deputy executive director Seimy Shidute said the proposed amendments were necessary to “adapt to the global developments, such as the digital innovation and emerging technological trends”.

Revenue Collection and Tax Enforcement

Government revenue figures provide an indication of collections from the sector, but do not establish the overall size of Namibia’s gambling market.

The Ministry of Finance’s 2023/24 accountability report set an annual gambling income levy target of NAD5m but recorded no collection against that line.

Daniel separately told parliament that NAD17m had been collected to date for the Gambling Trust Fund, according to NBC News.

The reform process is also taking place alongside increased tax scrutiny. In March, The Brief reported that the Namibia Revenue Agency had signed a cooperation agreement with the GBN to obtain information about gambling operators and winnings.

“We are going to receive data on all players in the industry and compare it with our tax records. Where there is non-compliance, we will raise assessments to ensure the correct taxes are paid,” revenue commissioner Sam Shivute told the publication.

Next Steps for Namibia’s Gambling Reforms

Shikongo said submissions from the regional workshops would be consolidated in Windhoek before the proposals advance to the next stage.

The legal process will depend on the measures ultimately adopted. Changes to regulations would require gazetting, while amendments to primary legislation would need to follow the relevant parliamentary process.

The final text will determine how new fees are applied and how they interact with existing levies. Implementation will also depend on the GBN’s ability to recruit staff and develop the capacity needed to enforce the revised framework.

For now, the changes remain proposals rather than an operational regulatory regime. While the reforms aim to modernise gambling oversight, their implementation will depend in part on resolving the staffing and capacity constraints identified by the minister.