Eswatini strengthens rules to Protect Minors Online
Eswatini has announced a series of new measures aimed at preventing minors from accessing online gambling platforms as part of its broader push for responsible gaming regulation. Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Mkhonta-Simelane outlined the initiative during a ministerial statement before the House of Assembly, highlighting the government’s collaboration with gaming operators and telecommunications companies to block secondary mobile wallet accounts registered to individuals under 18. Many of these accounts were initially opened by guardians, prompting renewed focus on safeguarding children under the Gaming Control Act of 2022 and the Children’s Protection and Welfare Act of 2012.
The minister stated that protecting minors and vulnerable individuals remains a top policy priority. To reinforce this mandate, the ministry is proposing mandatory player-protection tools, along with the establishment of a rehabilitation fund designed to address gambling-related harm. Public education campaigns will also be launched to raise awareness of addiction risks and available support services. Draft regulations under the Act have been completed and are currently under stakeholder review, a step expected to strengthen consistency, transparency, and regulatory oversight.
Mkhonta-Simelane further emphasized the need for a comprehensive study of Eswatini’s gaming landscape, citing contrasting regional approaches such as South Africa’s free-market model and Botswana’s tender-based system. Insights from this comparative analysis will help shape Eswatini’s long-term regulatory framework.
Parliamentarians responded with procedural questions regarding the ministerial statement, though the Speaker clarified that the statement does not exempt the minister from addressing existing motions. The government’s seven-point outline included licensing processes, regulatory status, fee structures, minor protections, addiction support mechanisms, and considerations on limiting new licences in light of Eswatini’s smaller economy.
These developments indicate the country’s commitment to strengthening its online gambling safeguards and establishing a more regulated, responsible industry.
