Tanzania collected TZS307.8bn, about US$116.2m, in gaming taxes during the 2025/26 financial year, up from TZS260.21bn the year before. Gaming Board of Tanzania director general James Mbalwe gave the figures in a recent interview.
Online gambling is now the sector's largest revenue contributor. Mbalwe put that down to wider smartphone use and the spread of digital payments. It is a reversal of 2016, when land-based casinos and slot machines produced the biggest share.
Enforcement is still the other half of the job
Authorities seized more than 3,000 illegal slot machines during the year. Mbalwe said enforcement has cut reported cases, but some operators have moved into remote areas to avoid inspection.
In July 2026 the board signed an agreement with the Prime Minister's Office, Regional Administration and Local Government to coordinate monitoring at council level. It also works with the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority and the Police Cybersecurity Bureau to find and block unlicensed online platforms.
Self-exclusion is still done by hand
This is the gap Mbalwe was most direct about. A person who asks to be excluded currently has their personal details and photograph circulated manually to licensed operators, who are expected to keep them out.
The board wants a central electronic database so operators can identify self-excluded people in real time, possibly built through a public-private partnership. Mbalwe also called for stronger responsible gambling provisions in the Gaming Act, Cap 41, saying its safeguards mostly address underage gambling.
What operators should expect next
The board is still pursuing an Electronic Monitoring System for slot machines. New slot machine and route operation licences have been suspended since April 2026 while that system is finished, and new machine licences for foreign operators are suspended separately.
Mbalwe named electronic monitoring, better revenue collection and enforcement against illegal gambling as the board's priorities for the next twelve months. Tanzania also hosts the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum in 2027, the body now drafting a cross-border cooperation framework. The figures were reported by Focus Gaming News.
Frequently asked questions
How much gaming tax did Tanzania collect in 2025/26?
TZS307.8bn, about US$116.2m, up from TZS260.21bn in 2024/25.
What is driving the growth?
Online gambling, which is now the largest contributor, helped by wider smartphone use and digital payments.
How many illegal machines were seized?
More than 3,000 during the 2025/26 financial year.
Can players self-exclude in Tanzania?
Yes, but the process is manual. Details and photographs are circulated to operators by hand. The board plans a central electronic database that would work in real time.
Why are new slot machine licences suspended?
The Gaming Board paused new slot machine and route operation licences in April 2026 while it completes its Electronic Monitoring System.
