Eswatini Mandates National ID Verification for All Gambling Operators to Curb Underage Betting

The Eswatini Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs has issued new regulations requiring all gambling operators—both land-based and online—to register clients using national identity documents. The move is designed to prevent underage gambling and reinforce responsible gaming practices.

Under the updated rules, effective immediately, operators must verify the identity of every participant by capturing and storing national ID numbers and related verification data before allowing access to wagering or casino services. The requirement follows a parliamentary motion passed in September 2025, which highlighted major gaps in the 2022 Gaming Act covering only physical casinos, but not digital platforms.

The Ministry explained that officials uncovered instances in which mobile numbers registered to elderly family members were used by school children to bet online, triggering concerns over youth exposure to gambling. The regulatory framework now combines operator obligations with parental responsibility: operators must enforce ID checks, and parents are urged to monitor children’s device usage.

The legislation marks a shift toward greater oversight of the gaming sector: the motion approved in Parliament directed the Ministry to develop a centralized monitoring system for online operators, fill statutory voids, and report back with implementation timelines.

Industry sources note that while the ID-verification rule applies broadly, the online iGaming segment—previously unregulated under the 2022 act—remains a grey zone. Operators now face compliance risk: failure to verify client identities or cater for underage protections may result in licence revocation and additional sanctions.

For Eswatini’s gaming environment, the change signifies the first major regulatory tightening in years. It emphasises shifting the focus from expansion to safeguarding, aligning with global trends in operator accountability and player protection.