Africa-Press – Botswana. A high-stakes dispute between a Minister and the Gambling Authority has brought Botswana’s national lottery plans to a grinding halt.
The Botswana gambling industry was recently rocked by the unexpected suspension of the regulatory board and CEO Peter Kesitilwe. Insider sources are now speculating that the move may be connected to the dispute over the issuance of the national lottery licence between the disbanded leadership and the Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Tiroeaone Ntsima.
At the heart of the conflict is Ithuba Botswana, the company poised to operate the country’s first national lottery. Despite its significant investment in the process, the company faces indefinite delays amid allegations of irregularities and procedural overreach.
The controversy originated from a 2016 tender process where the Gambling Authority (GA) selected Growmine Africa as the preferred bidder and Ithuba Botswana as the reserve. However, negotiations with Growmine stalled, leading to legal challenges that were ultimately dismissed by the courts in 2024. This paved the way for Ithuba Botswana to step in, with negotiations advancing steadily until early 2025.
By mid-year, the GA board, chaired by Marvin Torto, believed all statutory requirements had been met and urged Minister Ntsima to endorse the licence issuance without further hindrance. In a strongly worded letter to the Minister, Torto emphasised the urgency, warning that prolonged delays could erode investor confidence and tarnish Botswana’s international reputation.
Torto wrote: “I wish to highlight to honourable Minister that failure to proceed with the issuance of the licence may result in renewed or fresh litigation, potentially citing administrative delays or regulatory indecision.”
He further asserted that the GA, as a public body, was legally bound to act fairly, transparently and reasonably. The letter read: “As things stand, the GA has no justification to cancel or discontinue the process relating to the National Lottery licence.”
The Board’s stance hinged on a key interpretation of the Gambling Act of 2012, specifically Section 62(1), which reads: “The Authority may, after consultation with the Minister, issue a licence to authorise a person to conduct a national lottery.”
The Board stressed that this provision required only consultation, not outright ministerial approval and such consultations had occurred extensively since 2016, including during the 2020-2022 transition from Growmine to Ithuba. The letter portrayed the Minister’s endorsement as a mere formality, insisting the GA had fulfilled its obligations under the law.
However, Minister Ntsima rejected this view, viewing the Board’s push as an overstep. There was a reported tense meeting between the parties, after which Ntsima dissolved the GA board and placed CEO Peter Kesitilwe on suspension.
The fallout intensified in July 2025 when the ministry cancelled the licence altogether, citing fronting, contractual irregularities, and unease with the agreement’s terms under the new administration. This decision has plunged the project, which was anticipated to generate jobs, revenue and charitable contributions, into uncertainty.
Ithuba Botswana, a subsidiary of the South African lottery operator Ithuba Holdings, has expressed frustration over the developments. In a public statement, the company affirmed it was “legally and lawfully awarded” the 10-year licence through a “rigorous, transparent and fair” process, countering what it called inaccuracies in media reports. Highlighting its compliance with all requirements and considerable investments made in good faith, the company signalled its intention to pursue legal action.
With no immediate resolution in sight, stakeholders await clarity on whether the process will be revived or rebooted, potentially setting back Botswana’s lottery ambitions by years.
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