Zambia’s land-based casino rules return to the spotlight in 2026 as the Casino Act resurfaces online

The Casino Act (Chapter 157) has been republished on ZambiaLII’s open-access platform, prompting renewed attention to licensing, inspection powers and penalties for non-compliance across Zambia’s land-based casino sector.

Zambia’s land-based casino framework is back in focus in early 2026 after the Casino Act, 1992 (Chapter 157) was republished online through the Zambia Legal Information Institute (ZambiaLII), boosting the visibility of the rules operators are expected to follow. The version available via ZambiaLII’s document host notes the Act is the consolidated text for the period “as it was at 31 December 1996 to 21 March 2000”, but its core compliance architecture remains central to how land-based casinos are licensed and policed.

At the heart of the Act is a strict licensing requirement: no one may operate a casino without a valid casino licence issued under the law, with applications made to the Minister, and licences issued for a period not exceeding five years. The licence defines what is permitted on the premises, including the authorised games, tables and gaming machines, and the Act explicitly bars operators from running more tables or machines than the licence allows. It also sets criminal exposure for illegal operation and unauthorised gaming machines, with the law providing for fines and potential imprisonment, and allowing courts to order forfeiture of tables or gaming machines involved in an offence.

Enforcement is built into the regime through casino inspectors appointed to ensure compliance, with powers to enter and inspect licensed premises, examine equipment, access and audit records tied to gross revenue, seize items for inspection, and supervise cash counts and calculations at the end of business. On the financial side, the Act provides for licence fees and includes a quarterly charge equal to 20% of gross revenue, while also stating that any tax or penalty payable under the Act may be recovered as a civil debt.

The practical takeaway for operators and suppliers is straightforward: the republication does not change the law, but it increases scrutiny by making the obligations and enforcement levers easier to reference, at a time when regulators and the public are paying closer attention to compliance in land-based gambling.