Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Portfolio Committee chairperson Farai Jere has proposed transferring the Lotteries and Gaming Board to the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, arguing that the entity is largely dependent on sporting activities.
The proposal is also intended to ensure that sport, which continues to face financial challenges in the country, benefits from gaming revenue, including the gambling tax introduced by the Minister of Finance in 2025.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the 2027 Pre-Budget Seminar held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo, Jere said sport deserved a share of the revenue generated by the gaming industry.
‘’…Much of the betting industry depends on sporting activity, yet sport continues to face serious financial constraints.
‘’The Committee is proposing reviewing allocation of gaming responsibilities and transferring administration of the relevant legislation and the Sports Lotteries and Gaming Board to the Ministry responsible for Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
‘’We also recommend a statutory share of gaming revenue for sport and recreation facility.
‘’Any transfer must follow necessary legal and administrative process. Essential outcome is transparent funding relationship and clear accountability for collection, transfers and project supported,’’ he said.
Jere, who is also the owner of CAPS United Football Club, said it was important for the gaming and lotteries portfolio to fall under the Sports Ministry, given its close relationship with sporting activities.
‘’It is very important that this be moved to our Ministry because we are the one who looks over these activities and who administers them, but the credit is going to another Ministry. So that’s something which needs to be looked at and it can actually raise a lot of revenue.’’
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda supported Jere’s proposal, agreeing with Sports Minister Anselem Sanyatwe that placing the lotteries and gaming entity under the Sports Ministry was in line with international best practices.
‘’Lotteries and gaming, the best practices must be followed, I want to agree with you Minister of Sport that the lotteries and gaming entity must come under your ministry that is the trend everywhere in the world not just in 5 countries.
‘’I speak with authority as a former chairman of the Sport Commission for some several years that is the position. The lotteries and gaming entity fall under the Ministry of Sports,’’ he said.
However, Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe opposed the proposal, arguing that there was renewed interest in the entity because it was now generating revenue, despite having existed for years without attracting similar attention.
‘’Lotteries and gaming board has always been there for a years but now people can see its work because of management. People can see the work that it is now doing and believe that now there is money there, no, there is now leadership and management at the lotteries and gaming board.
‘’So is it the money or the leadership? If it is the money that you need you can be given by the lotteries and gaming board, but we will wait and see. Lotteries and gaming board have done a great job, they are now complementing treasury efforts,’’ he said.
