Gambling Laws in Swaziland
Gambling in Swaziland is legal in all of its variety. The
Swaziland gambling legislation, is composed of several acts the central among them being: the
Casino Act of 1963 and the
Lotteries Act of 1963. According to this act all forms of land-based gambling are legal in Swaziland. Based on these acts there have been issued several licenses for online gambling and betting too.
The regulatory body of the land-based activities in the country is the Ministry of Tourism, Environmental Affairs and Communication. The legal functioning of the online gambling sector is also supervised by the same body. Beside its function as supervisor, the Ministry of Tourism, Environmental Affairs and Communication is the official body which grants licenses to all Swazi casinos, sportsbooks, or other types of gambling providers, brick and mortar as well as online.
According to
Swazi gambling laws minors, under 18 years of age are prohibited to participate in gambling activities.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Swaziland?
Yes, all forms of online gambling are legal in Swaziland. |
Online Casinos in Swaziland
There are 3 licensed land-based casino operators in Swaziland, as of June 2019, some of which have also launched
internet casino sites. The Royal Swazi Sun Hotel which is located in Mbabane is a major entertainment complex in the country. It opened in 1965, three years prior to Swaziland's independence. It was the first casino-hotel in the region. While the Royal Swazi Sun Hotel is the most popular land-based gambling resort the
Piggs Peak Internet Casino established in 1996, is the leading
online casino in Swaziland. Foreign internet casino sites are actively being blocked by the gambling authorities in the country.
Online Poker in Swaziland
There are no special
Swaziland online poker laws. Yet, the articles regulating online gambling in general, apply to this game as well, giving online poker the status of a legal game in this country. However, as of April 2018, there are no specialized
Swazi internet poker sites. Some video poker games can be played on the Piggs Peak Casino website but real online poker tournaments are currently only available through foreign internet poker sites.
Online lottery in Swaziland
Swaziland's national lottery is the state licensed provider for all sorts of lotto games in the country. However, as of June 2019 they haven’t included in their offer
online lottery in Swaziland. The lottery is operated by the internationally renowned Admiral Leisure World Limited being active on the market since the 90s. In the lack of domestic online lotto providers, foreign
online lotto games can easily be accessed from Swaziland.
Online bingo in Swaziland
There are no specific
Swazi online bingo laws. Therefore, general regulations regarding online games of chance in Swaziland apply and online bingo is considered to be legal in the country. However, as of July 2019, there are no specialized sites for
online bingo in Swaziland. Bingo rooms, licensed elsewhere, can easily be accessed from the country.
Online sports betting in Swaziland
Online sports betting in Swaziland is regulated with the general gambling legislation. The only
online sportsbook sites in Swaziland are run by Swazi Sports, a new entrant to the online betting and gaming solutions market in Swaziland. The betting offer they provide might be consider as rather limited if we have in mind the world trends of sports betting, although it satisfies much of the demands of the current betting market in the country. Foreign
internet sportsbook sites are actively being blocked by the authorities.
Online daily fantasy sports in Swaziland
Online DFS sites in Swaziland do not have a legally regulated status. Considering the legality of online sports betting in the country it is very probable that
internet Daily Fantasy Sports would soon receive a legal status in Swaziland.