Eswatini is a landlocked country in southern Africa. Eswatini is formerly known as Swaziland. The country shares most of its borders with South Africa except for the northeastern border which it shares with Mozambique. The country is largely famous for being one of Africa’s last kingdoms. Well, for gambling lovers, the country is also much loved for its liberal nature when it comes to gambling.
Eswatini has put in place legislation that guides gambling in the country. The gambling laws are frequently updated meaning they even touch on online gambling aspects. Most forms of online gambling are permitted. For a detailed exploration of each of the permitted gambling services as well as all the top betting sites to play at in the country, just spare a few moments of your time to check out this comprehensive article.
Tracing the History of Gambling in Eswatini
The history of Eswatini dates back to 1963. In 1963, a constitution providing for limited self-government was promulgated. A few years later in 1967, the country became a protected state under which the kingship was restored. A year later in 1968, Eswatini got full independence.
From 1963 when Eswatini got limited autonomy to rule, it began drafting and enacting laws. One of the very first laws that was enacted was the Casino Act – Act 56 of 1963. The Act, in general, legalized gambling, albeit setting the stipulations to abide by for all those looking to run and operate legitimate casinos.
Essentially, the two main requirements entailed registering with the Swaziland Gaming Board of Control (later rebranded) and paying the annual license fee and levy (now the main fee is paid per decade). Considering that at the time the Casino Act was enacted, the internet had not yet emerged; the Act stipulated that all forms of gambling had to be conducted within casino “premises.” Casino premises according to the Act (amended 1998) entail anyone of the following:
“(a) a residential hotel containing at least sixty separate lettings, double bedrooms all of which are provided with private bathrooms comprising a bath and water closet;
(b) a public restaurant of a size adequate to accommodate the patrons of the casino, with provision for dancing and entertainment;
(c) a swimming pool, with changing rooms and a sun lounge;
(d) one or more conference rooms and lounges, with provision for refreshments;
(e) one or more gaming rooms; and
(f) such other buildings and amenities (if any) as the Minister may approve.”
Following the advent of the internet and, subsequently, the emergence of online gambling, Eswatini, for a considerable time, didn’t amend its gambling laws to permit or prohibit online gambling. Rather, casino players and sports punters in the country who wished to gamble online did so at offshore betting sites. The vacuum left by the absence of online gambling laws meant players and offshore casino operators alike exploited the legal grey area.
The Legalization of Online Gambling
It was just recently, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, that authorities in Eswatini began to take steps to legalize online gambling. The move culminated in the enactment of the Gaming Act Control (2022). Immediately after, the Gaming Fees Rules (2023) were enacted to specify the licensing conditions for online gambling operators.
The Gaming Act Control (2022) placed the onus of licensing and regulating the gambling industry, including online gambling, in the hands of the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs. Since it was given the mandate to regulate the gambling industry, the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs has already licensed several online casinos and sportsbooks.
Online casinos and sportsbooks have done an incredible job in popularizing online gambling. According to the Eswatini Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, there were 220,000 registered online gaming users in April 2023, and 60,000 of those were active. In this context, active is defined as a user who placed at least one bet and one deposit in a given month. In April 2024, the figure ballooned to 385,000 registered online gaming users, and 73,000 of them were active. This depicts an increase of 165,000 (75%).
Eswatini’s Leading Betting Sites
Ebet
Ebet is easily one of the most popular online gambling brands in Eswatini. Operating as a hybrid gambling platform that offers an extensive range of gambling services. Ebet allows sports punters to place bets on a wide array of professional sports, virtual sports, and lucky numbers. Casino players, on the other hand, get to play all sorts of games, which include crash games, online slots, live casino games, and betgames. The betting site is mobile friendly meaning players can place bets on the go. For deposits and withdrawals, the supported methods include Visa, Eswatini mobile, MoMo by MTN, MasterCard, and Paygate.
8bet
In its early days, 8bet played cat and mouse with the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs. This is necessitated by the fact that 8bet was initially launched before getting approval from the Ministry. However, everything was then settled and 8bet is now one of the legalized online betting sites in Eswatini. At 8bet, players get to enjoy a varied range of betting services, which include professional sports betting, virtual sports betting, and eSports betting. There are also casino games offered ranging from instant win games and slots to table and card games. For the newly registered players, the welcome bonus comes in the form of a 10% welcome bonus added on top of your first deposit amount. The bonus funds can only be used when playing crash games. The only major shortcoming is that 8bet only supports one banking method (MoMo by MTN) for both deposits and withdrawals.
MulaSport
MulaSport holds the proud record of being the first online gambling platform to go live in Eswatini. Designed by Eswatini residents for the benefit of Eswatini gambling lovers, MulaSport has grown to become a huge brand in the gambling industry. Its growth has seen it expand its wings to enter various other jurisdictions on the African continent. In Eswatini, MulaSport offers a diverse range of gambling services which include sports betting and casino games. Sports punters at the site are guaranteed a great time thanks to the presence of several exciting betting features, which include live betting, sports jackpots, and live streaming (on select sports events). The supported banking methods for making deposits and withdrawals include MoMo by MTN, Unayo, and Eswatini Mobile.
Diskibet
Diskibet is a licensed online gambling brand in Eswatini. The platform primarily operates as a sportsbook. As such, punters can bet on a variety of sports which include football, basketball, tennis, cricket, rugby, American football, Aussie football, baseball, boxing, darts, Formula 1, futsal, golf, cycling, motorcycle racing, handball, ice hockey, MMA, snooker, table tennis, volleyball, alpine skiing and biathlon. For all these sports, players are free to place both live and pre-match bets. Besides betting on professional sports, punters can also bet on eSports, lucky numbers, keno, horse racing, dog racing, and novelty betting. To cater to the needs of casino players, Diskibet also has a casino section where instant win games, slots, table and card games, betgames are available.
Conclusion
As we round up, we want to reinforce the fact that gambling, including online betting, is legal in Eswatini. For as long as players bet on regulated betting sites such as eBet, 8bet, MulaSport and Diskibet, they need not worry about breaking any laws. The beauty of all betting sites in Eswatini is that they are available across different platforms hence players can place bets on the go using their mobile devices.