Botswana Gambling Authority Takes Responsible Gambling Education to Teachers in Tsabong

The Botswana Gambling Authority has delivered a responsible gambling presentation to teachers at Tsabong Unified Secondary School as concerns grow over rising gambling participation among both adults and young people.

The Botswana Gambling Authority has expanded its responsible gambling outreach by delivering a presentation to teachers at Tsabong Unified Secondary School on Monday, July 6.

The session formed part of the Authority’s public awareness programme, which is aimed at promoting early education on gambling-related risks and helping communities better understand the possible financial, social and psychological harm linked to irresponsible gambling.

The presentation focused on responsible gambling principles, the risks associated with gambling, available self-exclusion options and the importance of prevention. The session was designed to equip teachers with practical information that can help them identify warning signs, promote informed decision-making and guide learners before gambling-related behaviour becomes more serious.

The school outreach comes amid growing concern over gambling participation in Botswana. Botswana DailyNews reported on July 14 that the Gambling Authority has noted a sharp rise in gambling participation among both adults and young people, a trend it attributed to the growth of online betting platforms. The warning was delivered by Linnet Mafukidze, the Authority’s Director of Responsible Gambling and Corporate Affairs, during a kgotla meeting in Tsabong.

This context makes the focus on teachers especially important. Educators are often among the first professionals to notice behavioural changes in young people, including absenteeism, poor concentration, sudden financial pressure or risky online habits. By involving schools, the regulator is moving responsible gambling education beyond licensed gambling venues and into community spaces where prevention can begin earlier.

Botswana’s gambling sector remains legal and regulated, but authorities continue to stress that gambling should be treated strictly as entertainment and not as a way to generate income. The growth of online betting has made gambling easier to access, increasing the need for awareness campaigns that reach families, schools and local communities before harm becomes more serious.

The regulator’s wider responsible gambling approach includes public education, awareness campaigns, self-exclusion programmes and support services for people struggling to control their gambling. It also promotes third-party exclusion measures, allowing family members to request temporary suspension where irresponsible gambling is identified and confirmed through investigation.

For Botswana, the school-based outreach reflects a broader shift in gambling regulation. The issue is no longer limited to licensing operators and monitoring gambling venues. Regulators are increasingly expected to work with educators, parents, communities and health-support structures to reduce harm before it reaches crisis level.

The initiative also sends a message to operators. A market built on legal gambling must also demonstrate visible social responsibility. Public trust depends not only on licensing and compliance, but also on clear safeguards for vulnerable groups, especially young people.

By engaging teachers directly, the Botswana Gambling Authority is building a prevention network that can support responsible gambling education at an early stage. If expanded across more schools and communities, the programme could become an important part of Botswana’s long-term harm-reduction strategy.