Gambling Authority and Botswana Sports Ministry consider Esports integration

The Minister of Sport and Arts, Honourable Jacob Kelebeng, recently held a strategic meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Gambling Authority, Mr. Peter Kesitilwe, and a visiting delegation from the Tanzanian Esports Federation, to discuss the potential recognition and regulation of Esports in Botswana.

The Tanzanian delegation, led by Federation President Mr. Peter Mshikilwa and accompanied by Mr. Tony Okeyo, engaged with local officials to explore avenues for collaboration and formal affiliation of Esports within Botswana’s sports and digital ecosystems.

Mr. Kesitilwe acknowledged the growing significance of Esports, noting that insights from the Tanzanian Federation had highlighted its potential as a driver of digital transformation—an area of priority for the Botswana government. He emphasized that Esports offers promising opportunities aligned with national digitalisation efforts.

During the meeting, Mr. Mshikilwa described Esports as the electronic version of traditional physical sports, governed globally by the Global Esports Federation and the International Esports Federation. He revealed that Esports has now gained recognition from the Olympic Movement, with the first Olympic Esports Games scheduled to take place in 2027 in Saudi Arabia. The Gulf nation currently leads in the development of Esports and will host the tournament for the next five years.

Highlighting the broader scope of the industry, Mr. Mshikilwa noted that Esports encompasses marketing, publishing, team development, content creation, and intellectual property management. Globally, the industry is valued between USD 4.5 and 4.6 billion.

Despite the challenge of costly equipment, Mr. Mshikilwa pointed out that mobile platforms have increased accessibility, particularly among youth.

Minister Kelebeng expressed appreciation for the presentation and affirmed the government's interest in incorporating Esports into national development initiatives. He stated that the ministry is in the process of establishing a content hub, and Esports will be integrated as part of its offerings, providing opportunities for youth already engaged in the digital sports space.