Gaming revenue increasing, board discloses

Dar es Salaam. The gaming revenue increased by six percent to Sh140 billion during the just ended financial year as the government started fighting “illegal” slot machines, which are reported in Tanzania.

The Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT) said the revenue increased from Sh132 billion during 2020/21 to Sh140 billion in 2021/22.

The board has also embarked on strategies to increase the revenue by fighting some gaming machines and online platforms which it said are illegally spreading to the streets and holding back growth of the industry.

“We have not conducted a study, but we know we lose huge revenue because there are people in the streets who are involved in such kind, that’s why this year we have decided to deal with it to stop that behaviour,” said the GBT director general Mr James Mbalwe.

Mr Mbalwe was speaking during an event to mark one year of Betway Tanzania.

“In terms of income, Kenya is the first, but in the aspect of management of laws and regulations, Tanzania is leading in East and Central Africa and this provides an opportunity for big companies like Betway to come and invest in the country because they are sure of their investment.”

Speaking at the event, Betway Tanzania country operations manager Mr Jimmy Masaoe said the government has reduced winning tax to 10 percent from 15 percent which has attracted people to stop using offshore sites which were depriving the companies’ income.