Rise of Unlicensed Betting Shops in Tanzania fuels Underage Gambling

School administrators fear that the recent rise in betting shops throughout Tanzania is being overlooked by the country’s gambling regulator, the Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT).

After a newspaper survey, Tanzanians seem to feel that the shops are not regulated enough to prevent schoolchildren from entering and placing bets on sporting events. These regulatory problems may come as a surprise to outsiders who have only seen the positive news of the GBT’s licensing of online sportsbooks in Tanzania.

Indeed, the entire gambling industry is taking off in the African country, with Dr NaftaliNg’ondi, a psychologist at the Institute of Social Work, seeing it as a negative phenomenon.

“Looking at the profile of the betters, you will find that most are jobless and gambling offers a respite out of unemployment.Gambling is being seen as a business, a source of quick money where no energy or skills are required,” he said.

Plans Underway for Changes

Things aren’t only grim, however, with plans to alter Tanzanian gambling laws
and regulate smaller outlets more thoroughly. Indeed, a spokesperson for the GBT said that local authorities will be involved in procedures as the regulator clamps down on these illegally operating betting shops.

With online gambling in the country really taking off, the government will surely be keen to ensure that there are no major issues surrounding gambling regulation.