The Zambian Government is in the process of establishing one regulator for the country’s gaming and lotteries industry, with North-Western Province Permanent Secretary Willies Mangimela expressing his concern at the current “fragmented” legislation.

Speaking at the official opening of a public consultative meeting in Solwezi, Mangimela announced that an inter-ministerial technical committee had been established in a bid to harmonise the current regulations, and to establish one regulator.

The committee has already drafted the policy and implementation framework, with the new law set to regulate both physical and online gaming and lotteries in the country. The current framework is reportedly fast-growing, but is also being abused.

Stakeholders including Council of Elders provincial secretary Kenneth Kapata, and Zambia Police Service Divisional Legal Officer Allan Mbahwe, have requested to see the details of the current legislation in order for them to submit useful content.

“As you may be aware the government has noted with concern that the current legislations for the gaming and lotteries sector in the country are fragmented, resulting in loss of revenue to the government,” said Mangimela.

“It is my hope that this process will culminate into responsive legislation that will enable the Ministry of Finance to harmonize and establish a regulator of gaming and lotteries in Zambia.”