Eswatini MP urges moving gambling regulation to Commerce Ministry to tighten oversight of betting operators

MP Masiphula Mamba says supervision should shift from the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, arguing the current framework is not controlling the sector effectively as concerns grow over youth gambling harm.

An Eswatini lawmaker has proposed transferring gambling regulation from the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, in a bid to strengthen supervision of betting operators and improve enforcement. The proposal was raised by Masiphula Mamba, MP for the Kubuta constituency, during debate on the tourism ministry’s Annual Performance Report.

Mamba argued that the current oversight structure is not doing enough to effectively regulate the gambling sector, pointing to rising concern about problem gambling in local communities. In his remarks, he linked the issue to reported cases in Kubuta where gambling losses had severe consequences for young people and households, framing this as evidence that stronger regulation is needed.

The call was echoed in the same debate by Welcome Dlamini, the Mbabane East MP and chair of the parliamentary portfolio committee overseeing the tourism ministry, who warned that student gambling is becoming a growing problem and that awareness messaging is not curbing participation.

The proposal lands amid wider policy moves aimed at harm reduction, including a voluntary self-exclusion programme and planned cooperation with telecom providers on stronger age-verification controls, as Eswatini tries to close gaps around underage access and compliance monitoring. Whether the regulatory “home” changes or not, the debate signals that lawmakers want clearer accountability, tougher supervision tools, and more measurable safeguards for players.