Tanzania‘s national assembly is set to debate a new 5% excise tax on betting-related activities following the Ministry of Finance presentation for the 2026/27 financial year.
During a parliamentary briefing in Dodoma earlier this month, Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar proposed an expenditure estimate that includes a 5% duty on the value of wagers.
The proposal will cover verticals including land-based or online/internet sports betting, land-based or online/internet casino gaming, forty-machine slot games and virtual games operations.
10% of the revenue generated from this new duty will be remitted to the country’s gambling regulator, the Gambling Board of Tanzania (GBT), in the bid to ‘improve efficiency and regulation of gambling activities’.
This new fiscal policy aims to curb the effects of problem gambling.
Earlier this month, a spokesperson from the GBT told iGaming Expert: “The board is not leaving any stone unturned in protecting the citizenry, and we have often reiterated that gaming should be treated as entertainment rather than mainstream behaviour.
“We have tried to raise the level of awareness in recent months, educating people on the effects of problem and pathological gambling, and the issues they pose to their families and society at large.”
The reform, which will come into effect in July, is expected to raise around TZS74.5 billion in revenue for the government. This is set to be a significant economic boost for the country.
Tanzania not the first to introduce tax reforms
Tanzania is not alone in introducing new fiscal frameworks designed to increase tax revenues generated by the gambling industry. Several jurisdictions have already set new taxation policies similar to Senegal‘s National Lottery LONASE, which introduced a 20% tax on gambling winnings last year.
Recently, South Africa has also pushed for a 20% gross gambling revenue tax aimed at abolishing outdated legislation and accommodating the country’s thriving online market.
Earlier this year, Nigeria’s regulator, the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA), imposed a 5% withholding tax on gambling payouts, a reform that it said was aimed at strengthening regulatory oversight, transparency, and accountability in the country’s evolving industry.
And the likes of Uganda and Kenya are also in the mix, having recently introduced varying degrees of tax hikes.
