Botswana Gambling Authority engages consumers on safer gambling at 2026 Consumer Fair

Botswana’s Gambling Authority is using the 2026 Consumer Fair in Gaborone to speak directly with the public about responsible gambling, player protection and the regulator’s role, as growing participation—particularly through online channels—keeps gambling-related harm high on the policy agenda.

Botswana’s Gambling Authority has taken its responsible gambling campaign to the 19th Botswana Consumer Fair, which is running from August 24 to 30 at Fairground Holdings in Gaborone. The regulator has established an information stand where visitors can speak directly with officials about gambling regulation, consumer protection and ways to make safer and more informed decisions.

The Authority is also distributing educational materials containing responsible gambling messages and practical information on player protection. The initiative is intended to move public education beyond conventional media campaigns by giving consumers an opportunity to raise questions directly with regulatory staff during the seven-day exhibition.

The outreach reflects the Gambling Authority’s broader mandate to promote safe and sustainable gambling while limiting the potential harms associated with excessive play. Its responsible gambling programme includes public education, free counselling and rehabilitation support, as well as self-exclusion and third-party exclusion mechanisms for people who need greater control over their gambling activity.

Consumer education has become increasingly relevant as gambling participation expands in Botswana. The Authority’s latest research on excessive and problem gambling found that approximately 36.6% of Batswana had participated in legal or illegal gambling during the previous six months, while awareness of gambling stood at 82.9%. Online gambling was identified as the most commonly used channel, accounting for 61.6% of participation among the platforms examined.

The Consumer Fair offers the regulator access to a particularly broad audience. The event has previously attracted more than 36,000 visitors and hundreds of exhibitors, making it one of Botswana’s major public and commercial exhibitions. This year’s theme is “Showcasing Botswana in Full Colour.”

The Gambling Authority has used previous editions of the fair for similar engagement. During the 2025 event, then-Acting CEO Moruntshi Kemorwale stressed that expansion of the regulated gambling market needed to be accompanied by strong safeguards for consumers and vulnerable groups. The regulator has also used the exhibition to explain licensing and compliance requirements to businesses interested in the sector.

Beyond public education, the Authority continues to monitor licensed businesses and illegal gambling activity through inspections, enforcement and AML/CFT controls. Its regulatory responsibilities also include resolving consumer complaints and assessing the continuing suitability of licensed operators.

The 2026 Consumer Fair campaign therefore forms part of a wider shift toward combining market supervision with direct consumer engagement. As online gambling becomes increasingly prominent in Botswana, the regulator’s ability to explain risks, promote early intervention and make player-protection tools accessible could become as important as licensing and enforcement in reducing gambling-related harm.