GamblePause Initiative Africa has completed registration in Zambia and is preparing to begin operations there with GamAid Zambia, marking a new responsible-gambling push in the country.
AfriGaming Bulletin reported that the partnership is intended to strengthen player protection, responsible gambling awareness and harm prevention. It also said a local lead had been appointed for GamblePause Zambia, although the excerpt did not name that person.
According to Sigma World, the programme will focus on awareness, education, early intervention and support services for people affected by gambling-related harm. The Zambia initiative is also meant to be led locally and to involve regulators, licensed operators, healthcare professionals and community organisations.
GamblePause has not announced a rollout timetable for the planned activities.
The founder said the registration in Zambia fits a wider expansion across Africa and a strategy of building country-specific programmes through local partnerships. AfriGaming Bulletin quoted the founder as saying the move was another important achievement in a Pan-African expansion plan.
The Zambia launch comes as responsible-gambling work has been gaining ground across African markets. Sigma World pointed to Botswana, where the Gambling Authority partnered with Boitekanelo College and backed teacher training, and to South Africa, where the National Gambling Board, the Limpopo Gambling Board and Goldrush ran an awareness campaign in Limpopo. It also cited Kenya, where BetBlocker said more than 20,000 users had activated its free blocking software.
In Zambia itself, the gaming and lottery sector has grown quickly. The Business Regulatory Review Agency said the government had observed unprecedented growth and interest in the industry in recent years, and that the market was becoming more accessible as technology brought in new players.
The agency said Zambia had 24 licensed casinos in 2018 and 34 by the end of August 2019. It said licensed betting and lottery businesses stood at 50 by the end of 2018.
The same consultation said oversight of the sector remained fragmented and enforcement challenging because existing legislation was administered by different ministries and organisations. It said the government proposed a policy to guide regulation of the gaming and lotteries sector.
