A Zimbabwean parliamentary committee has proposed moving the Lotteries and Gaming Board from Home Affairs to the Sports Ministry and giving sport a fixed share of gaming revenue. The Speaker backs the idea, the Home Affairs Minister opposes it, and nothing has been decided.
What was proposed
Farai Jere, chairperson of the Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Portfolio Committee, put the proposal to the 2027 Pre-Budget Seminar in Bulawayo, according to a report by Tourism Focus that trade press picked up on 6 November. Jere, who also owns CAPS United Football Club, was among the legislators who pressed for more sport funding at the same seminar.
The recommendation has two parts. The first moves the administration of the gambling law, and the Lotteries and Gaming Board (LGB) itself, to the ministry that handles sport, recreation, arts and culture. The second sets a statutory share of gaming revenue, including proceeds of the gambling tax introduced in 2025, for sports and recreational facilities.
Jere argued that much of the betting industry depends on sporting activity while sport stays short of money. He also said any transfer would need to follow legal and administrative procedure, with transparent funding and clear accountability for how revenue is collected, passed on and spent.
Who backs it and who does not
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda agreed with Sports Minister Anselem Sanyatwe that the lotteries and gaming entity belongs under the sports portfolio, and called that the trend in other countries. Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe, whose ministry runs the Board today, opposed the move. He said the Board's recent results came from better leadership and management, and that if the committee wants money for sport, the Board can provide it.
The positions come from one report of the seminar. We could not find a committee paper or a Hansard record, so the quotes and the vote of support are as reported.
What the money looks like today
Zimbabwe already has a Lotteries and Gaming Fund under the Lotteries and Gaming Act, and the report says its objectives include financing sport and recreation projects approved by the Sports and Recreation Commission. Jere's idea goes further by fixing a share in law. No percentage has been named.
Taxes on the sector have risen quickly. According to the same report, the tax on bettors' gross winnings from sports betting began at 10% in January 2025 and went to 25% on 1 January 2026. That sits beside the higher operator tax covered in our look at how Zimbabwe's betting tax change moved demand. The Board itself reported ZiG47.97 million in revenue for 2025, per earlier trade reporting.
The push for betting money to reach sport is not new. On 7 October, Permanent Secretary Nicholas Moyo told the Kuzana Sport and Creative Economy Expo in Bulawayo that betting revenue should support sports infrastructure and athlete development.
What it means for operators
Licences, fees and compliance rules sit with the Board, so a change of parent ministry could change who sets policy and who receives reporting. Operators holding licences, as described in our guide to whether betting is legal in Zimbabwe, would see no immediate change: a transfer needs legal steps, and no decision has been announced. A fixed share of revenue for sport would matter more to the market than the change of ministry, because it would set how much of the 25% winnings tax and related levies is ring-fenced.
What happens next
A committee recommendation is advice to government. The next test is whether the proposal appears in the 2027 budget process or in the amendments to the Lotteries and Gaming Act that government is reported to be processing. We will update this report when either does.
Frequently asked questions
Has Zimbabwe moved its gaming regulator to the Sports Ministry?
No. A parliamentary committee has proposed it. The Home Affairs Minister opposes the move and no decision has been announced.
Who regulates gambling in Zimbabwe now?
The Lotteries and Gaming Board, which sits under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
What tax do Zimbabwean bettors pay?
Per the report on the proposal, 25% of gross sports betting winnings since 1 January 2026, up from 10% in January 2025.
Information, not legal or tax advice. 18+ only. Gamble responsibly.
