Botswana Gambling Authority and IAGR launch illegal gambling awareness campaign

Botswana’s Gambling Authority and the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) have reportedly launched a global campaign to help consumers identify illegal or unlicensed gambling websites and apps. The initiative includes a free public tool on the authority’s website.

Users can check whether a gambling site is licensed in Botswana before placing a bet. The tool draws on official regulatory records and verified public sources. A site’s permission to operate in one place does not necessarily make it lawful elsewhere, as cross-border gambling is subject to different licensing rules.

The campaign will distribute digital messages about the risks of unlicensed gambling. It will show how unlicensed operators can appear familiar while lacking the safeguards offered by licensed operators.

Protecting young people, backing licensed operators and stopping illegal gambling from draining the economy are priorities, Gambling Authority CEO Moruntshi Kemorwale said. Illegal gambling platforms exploit young people’s vulnerabilities and omit essential addiction safeguards, Trade and Entrepreneurship Minister Tiroone Ntsima said.

IAGR CEO Kevin Mullally said gamblers could mistake a familiar website name for an operator licensed in their jurisdiction, and that some illegal operators designed sites to deceive consumers. IAGR President Brian Krolicki said consumers face growing difficulty telling unlawful gambling sites from legitimate ones as the sites proliferate, gain visibility and grow more sophisticated.