Namibia operators face final call to meet gambling levy deadline

Casino, gambling house, bar and shebeen licence holders in Namibia have been given a final warning to settle outstanding gambling levies and fees by April 30, with the Gambling Board of Namibia warning that non-compliance could trigger penalties, suspension or even licence withdrawal.

The Gambling Board of Namibia’s levy ultimatum is now entering its final stage. In Public Notice No. 001 of 2026, published on 23 January 2026, the regulator called on all affected licence holders to regularise overdue statutory levies and fees in line with the country’s gaming legislation. The notice covers casino operators, gambling houses, bar gambling operators and shebeen gambling licence holders, making it one of the board’s broadest recent compliance reminders to the land-based sector.

According to the notice, outstanding amounts must be settled either from the date a licence was issued or from the date of the last remittance made to the regulator. The Board set 30 April 2026 as the final compliance deadline and said operators must also submit levy remittance forms declaring monthly net income, applicable levies and supporting documentation.

The warning from Windhoek is not symbolic. The Board has stated that operators who fail to comply by the deadline face immediate disciplinary action, which may include financial penalties, punitive measures, suspension or withdrawal of gambling licences. That language makes clear that the regulator is treating levy recovery as an enforcement priority rather than a routine administrative matter.

The tougher tone also fits a wider legal backdrop. In a High Court judgment reported by the Board in 2025, the court reaffirmed that licensed gambling house operators are legally required to pay levies under the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act, 2018, including a levy on profits from gambling operations. That ruling strengthened the regulatory position that licence holders cannot simply withhold payment while complaining about illegal competition in the market.

For Namibia’s gambling sector, the April 30 deadline is therefore about more than arrears collection. It is a test of whether the Board can turn formal licensing into real ongoing compliance at a time when it is also trying to improve market oversight and administrative visibility. If operators fail to respond before the cutoff, the country could soon see a more aggressive enforcement phase built around licence sanctions rather than warnings alone.