TLDR Licensed operators in Eswatini want the government to define how long self-exclusion periods should last A validation workshop was held at Sibane Sami Hotel in Ezulwini to review new draft gambling regulations The Gaming Board will manage a central self-exclusion register and notify operators when players apply Excluded players who enter gambling premises face fines up to E2,000 or up to two years in prison New fee schedules are proposed to speed up licence applications and renewals
Eswatini’s licensed gambling operators are calling on the government to set clear rules around self-exclusion periods, after gaps in the country’s new draft regulations left them unsure how to handle player requests.
The issue came to light during a validation workshop held at Sibane Sami Hotel in Ezulwini last week. The session brought operators and officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs together to review rules designed to bring the Gaming Control Act of 2021 into full effect.
One operator raised a direct problem during the session. Some players ask to be excluded from gambling, then return hours later wanting to play again. Without a fixed timeframe in the draft, operators do not know how long to enforce a self-exclusion request.
Ministry officials confirmed the draft does not set a minimum exclusion period. They said operators may use their own judgment, particularly when a player wants to be excluded from just one venue rather than the whole market.
Gaming Board to Run Central Self-Exclusion Register
Under the proposed rules, the Gaming Board will manage a central register of excluded players and notify operators when a request is approved. Operators will not be expected to track applications themselves, but must act once they receive official notice.
The framework allows a person, or a third party acting for them,