Global gambling market updates, October 30, 2026: Tanzania pauses new gaming machine licences for foreign operators

Africa

1. Tanzania: GBT stops new gaming machine licences for foreign operators pending impact study

The question was listed on the National Assembly's Order Paper for October 29 (question 43, Ministry of Finance). Special Seats MP Husna Juma Sekiboko asked what plans the Gaming Board of Tanzania has to regulate gambling machines, referred to in the question as "madugudugu ya Wachina" ("Chinese machines"), that are alleged to be harming moral values in the country.

Deputy Minister for Finance Mshamu Munde answered in Parliament in Dodoma. As reported by Daily News, he said:

• Licences: the GBT has suspended the issuance of new licences to foreign operators of gaming machines in order to carry out a comprehensive assessment of their social and economic impact.
• Where the machines are: the sector is growing and contributing to government revenue, but gaming machines have expanded into informal areas, particularly rural communities.
• Oversight: the GBT plans to collaborate with PO-RALG to strengthen oversight in rural areas and at local government level, and has begun developing a technological system for real-time monitoring of the machines.
• Enforcement: the government, with security and law enforcement agencies, the TRA and local government authorities, is conducting special operations against illegal gaming machine operators. A total of 1,702 gaming machines were seized and destroyed over the past three years.

In a second Daily News report, Munde said the government is finalising a draft agreement with local government authorities on regulating gaming machines. It is meant to set up revenue sharing between central government and local councils and improve oversight of the businesses, whose licences are currently issued by the GBT. The agreement is to be signed after stakeholders have submitted their views. Asked about social impact, Munde said there was no research showing the games contributed to moral decay, but that studies had identified gambling addiction as a challenge that requires control measures.

The answer builds on an earlier GBT step. In April 2026 the board published a notice suspending new slot machine route operation licences for new applicants until an electronic monitoring system is in place. The official Hansard text of the October 29 answer had not been published at the time of writing.

Next: publication of the Hansard answer, any GBT notice setting out the scope of the foreign-operator pause, and the signing of the agreement with local government authorities.

What to watch

• Brazil: As of October 30 morning Beijing time, MP 1.394 is still listed as "awaiting installation of the committee" on the National Congress page, with 99 amendments filed. The Supreme Federal Court holds a public hearing on the betting ban on November 3. Urgency rules start on November 9, and the vote deadline is November 23.
• Georgia: Parliament passed the international gambling tournaments law in its third reading on October 28. It still needs the President's signature, and the final text will show which fines remain.
• Peru: public comments on Mincetur's draft amendment to the remote gaming and sports betting regulation close on November 5.

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