Malawi has opened bidding for a five-year contract to design, build, run and maintain the electronic monitoring system behind its gambling oversight.
The Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority published the request for proposals on 21 October 2026. Bids close at 16:30 on 23 November, with opening the following morning at 10:00.
What is being bought
The contract covers design, development, implementation, integration, support and maintenance of an electronic monitoring system, and runs for five years. Local and international firms may bid.
The notice does not say whether the new contract replaces, upgrades or extends what is already running. Local bidders pay a non-refundable MK10m, about US$5,700, for the tender document. International bidders pay US$5,000.
There is already a system in place
Malawi's Ministry of Finance confirmed an electronic monitoring system was implemented in July 2024. New gaming regulations in April 2025 then required operators to integrate with it.
An earlier procurement in November 2023 saw the authority issue a notification of intention to award IGLMS Limited a five-year contract worth MK1bn, about US$862,000. That notice records an intention only, and does not establish that the contract was signed.
The numbers behind the decision
The regulator's finances moved sharply after the system went in. MAGLA recorded a surplus of MK7.113bn, about US$4.1m, in 2024/25, against MK398.74m, about US$230,000, the year before. Revenue rose 86 per cent.
The Ministry of Finance credited electronic monitoring, wider licensing and better compliance for the improvement.
Why it matters
Monitoring systems are becoming the standard answer across the continent. Tanzania has suspended new slot machine licences while it finishes its own, as our report on Tanzania's gaming tax revenue sets out, and Uganda has been destroying seized machines. The tender detail was reported by Focus Gaming News.
Frequently asked questions
What is Malawi tendering for?
A five-year consultancy contract covering the design, development, implementation, integration, support and maintenance of an electronic monitoring system.
When do bids close?
23 November 2026 at 16:30, with opening on 24 November at 10:00.
Does Malawi already have a monitoring system?
Yes. The Ministry of Finance confirmed one was implemented in July 2024, and operators were required to integrate with it from April 2025.
What does the tender document cost?
MK10m, about US$5,700, for local applicants, and US$5,000 for international applicants. The fee is non-refundable.
How have the regulator's finances changed?
MAGLA posted a surplus of MK7.113bn in 2024/25 against MK398.74m in 2023/24, with revenue up 86 per cent.
