Eswatini: 27 people join voluntary self-exclusion scheme to block themselves from gambling for up to two years

Government figures show the programme lets participants request a one- to two-year ban from casinos and other betting platforms, as policymakers increase focus on responsible-gambling safeguards.

Eswatini has reported that 27 individuals have enrolled in the country’s voluntary gambling self-exclusion programme, a responsible-gambling tool that allows people to bar themselves from casinos and other betting platforms for a defined period. The figure was disclosed in a government report presented to Parliament by Tourism and Environmental Affairs Minister Jane Mkhonta-Simelane, according to local and industry reporting.

Self-exclusion is designed for people who feel their gambling is becoming harmful. Instead of relying on willpower alone, participants formally request to be placed on an exclusion list so that licensed venues and platforms can refuse access or service during the exclusion period. In Eswatini’s case, the exclusion windows cited in the report range from one to two years (12–24 months).

Authorities have framed the measure as part of a wider push to address the social impact of gambling, including debt and financial stress, which has increasingly been raised in public debate in Eswatini. By tracking and reporting enrolment, the government is also signalling that responsible-gambling tools are moving from “optional add-ons” toward a more formal part of how the market is supervised.

While 27 enrolments is still a small number relative to overall participation in gambling, it provides an early indicator of demand for structured harm-reduction options—and it puts more attention on how consistently operators apply exclusions across both land-based and remote/mobile channels.