Tanzania Reports TZS307.8bn in Gaming Tax Revenue, Citing Online Growth

Tanzania’s gambling sector generated TZS307.8bn in tax revenue for the financial year ending June 2026. This revenue surge is attributed to increased online participation, smartphone use, and digital payments.

What Happened

The gambling sector in Tanzania achieved TZS307.8bn in tax revenue during the financial year that concluded in June 2026, a performance driven by the expanding use of smartphones, digital payment systems, and increased online engagement, according to iGaming Today. James Mbalwe, Director General of the Gaming Board of Tanzania, stated that online gambling is a primary accelerator of growth in the sector, as reported by iGB. He noted that before 2016, revenue was predominantly generated by land-based casinos, followed by slot machine operations.

Alongside this revenue milestone, authorities are implementing new oversight measures for both land-based and online gambling. This includes enforcement actions against illegal operators, a review of gaming-machine regulations, and the development of new technology for enhanced monitoring and consumer protection, iGaming Today reported. Deputy Finance Minister Mshamu Munde announced in Parliament that the government is finalizing a revenue-sharing agreement between central government and local councils concerning gaming-machine activities.

Key Details

• Tanzania’s gambling sector generated TZS307.8bn in tax revenue for the financial year ending June 2026, according to iGaming Today.
• Online gambling, facilitated by smartphone access and simplified payment systems, is identified as the main driver of this revenue growth, stated James Mbalwe, Gaming Board of Tanzania director general.
• The government has paused the issuance of new gaming-machine licenses to foreign operators to assess their social and economic impact, as reported by iGaming Today.
• Authorities are developing a real-time monitoring system for gaming machines and a central database for self-excluded players to enhance consumer protection, according to iGaming Today.

Why It Matters

The reported revenue figures highlight a significant shift in the Tanzanian gambling market, with online platforms increasingly contributing to tax generation. This growth, however, also brings challenges related to regulatory oversight and player protection, as acknowledged by Gaming Board of Tanzania Director General James Mbalwe. The regulator notes issues such as illegal machines, unregulated websites, and inadequate player-protection tools.

The government’s response, including the review of gaming-machine regulations, the suspension of new foreign operator licenses, and the development of real-time monitoring systems, indicates a concerted effort to strengthen the regulatory framework. These measures aim to address weaknesses exposed by rapid growth and improve cooperation between national and local authorities in overseeing machine operations, according to reports by iGaming Today and The Citizen.

What’s Next

The Gaming Board of Tanzania plans to develop its own tools to prevent or eliminate unregulated platforms from accessing the gaming market, working in cooperation with the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority and the Police Cybersecurity Bureau, according to James Mbalwe. The government is also finalizing a revenue-sharing agreement for gaming-machine activity between central government and local councils. Furthermore, the development of a real-time monitoring system for gaming machines and a central database for self-excluded players is underway, aimed at improving current manual processes, as stated by Mbalwe.