Online casinos accepting players from Zambia

Zambia is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern, and East Africa, but it is often classified as a country located at the central point of South Africa. Officially known as the Republic of Zambia, the country borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the northeast, Malawi to the east, Mozambique to the southeast, Zimbabwe and Botswana to the south, Namibia to the southwest, and Angola to the west.

Online gambling is not regulated in Zambia yet, however people do gamble on the internet- by visiting foreign betting platforms. The current Act where casino gambling is defined encompasses local land-based industry only, whereas the online sector is not mentioned at all.

Having that in mind, it doesn’t come as a surprise that there aren’t any player protection measures in place. It’s up to consumers to take care of this part themselves and ensure they gamble responsibly.

Laws and Regulations

Gambling in Zambia is regulated by the Tourism and Hospitality Act of 2007. Although the Act was repealed and replaced with the Act of 2015, Part VI which encompasses casino licensing and the gambling industry is still in force. The said Part provides some basic outlines of how a license is obtained and other relevant technical details.

Giving more precise information on requirements for licenses, the application process, suspension and cancelation scenarios, duration and renewal is the Betting Control Act, initially enacted in 1958. In addition to these, there’s the State Lotteries Act which clarifies the duties of the Board, the number and value of prizes, the classification, and completion of tickets, and the payment of prizes.

According to data from 2022, the Internet penetration rate in Zambia is below 29%, but the good thing is that the coverage continuously expands. This is probably one of the main reasons why the development of the iGaming industry is extremely slow.

Worth noting is that Zambia is not the only African country where the low Internet penetration rate is the reason why the online casino industry is still in development. Niger, Burundi, and Malawi are just some of the countries where the signal coverage is less than 25%, which means that their respective iGaming sectors are quite small.

Player Protection and Responsible Gambling Measures

As the iGaming industry itself is not regulated, we cannot talk about any kind of player protection measures in place. There’s no local regulator in charge of supervising the sector or assisting in case a problem with an online casino comes up.

For that reason, it is necessary to educate and inform people about what is considered responsible gambling practices. Rule number one is to visit licensed online casinos only, as that will significantly minimize potential problems with withdrawals.

Responsible gambling means knowing how to stay within the limits, without spending either too much time or too much money. While the vast majority of consumers know how to organize their gambling habits well, a certain number of people don’t, which is where useful tools step in.

Those include deposit, loss, and wager limits, as well as a reality check. If one wants to take a longer break, there’s a cool-off option and self-exclusion.

Payment Methods and Banking

The official currency of Zambia is called Kwacha (ZMW). It is subdivided into 100 Ngwee. As assumed, no casinos support this currency- at least we couldn’t find any. On the other hand, some casinos allow players to make deposits in their own local currencies, but they convert the balance to USD or EUR.

Just like in many other parts of the world, cryptocurrencies aren’t legal yet. People are advised to be cautious when making crypto transactions. The good thing is that problems are less frequent when interacting with reputable online casinos.

Therefore, when choosing a casino, a consumer should always look beyond just the selection of payment methods. Yes, we agree that it is very important to have a variety of banking options at your disposal, but it is equally important to check out:

• Minimum and maximum amounts for deposits and withdrawals
• Accompanying fees on transactions
• Pending and processing time for cashouts
• ID verification procedures

These elements altogether will help you evaluate which payment method is the most suitable one for you. Generally speaking, e-wallets are the most popular choice as they are relatively fast. Bank transfers are usually the last ones on the list simply because they incur a higher fee and take a while to be processed.

What Should Players from Zambia Pay Attention to When Selecting a Casino?

In regions where the online gambling industry is not yet regulated, players need to open their eyes widely and be extra careful when choosing a gambling platform.

We already mentioned the importance of visiting licensed platforms. The license confirms that a certain gambling website is following guidelines issued by a regulator. This means that a company cannot breach the rules just like that, without being penalized for unfair behavior.

License aside, a player can look for other certificates and approvals which would confirm that security is among the top priorities. For example, look for accreditations issued by test labs, which would confirm that the RNG is truly random. Also, see if the site has SSL or any similar certificate as it indicates that the transfer of sensitive data is safe.

If all the boxes on your checklist are ticked so far, you can proceed with your investigation, and inspect the following:

• Games and featured providers
• Bonuses, promotions, and Loyalty programs
• Channels of communication with the customer support department

Observing the list, a logical question comes to your mind:

“Is it really necessary to do all these things?”

You see, this may seemingly look like a complicated, and lengthy process, but it’s actually not. It will take around 10 to 15 minutes of your time, which is not much, you will agree, considering what you get in return.

Once the investigation is complete, you will be able to evaluate whether that’s what you are looking for. If you want additional insight into the offering prior to making the initial deposit, read reviews and comments by other players, and also, play a couple of rounds in demo mode.

Gamble responsibly!

FAQ

Is it legal to gamble online in Zambia?

Online gambling is not regulated in Zambia so gambling on the internet is neither legal nor illegal. People making bets on foreign gambling platforms are not prosecuted or penalized.

Is demo play available in Zambia -friendly online casinos?

Yes, people from Zambia can check out games in fun mode as well. A detail worth noting is that a limited number of casinos require players to register first, but in most cases, even guests can have a couple of rounds “on the house” before playing games in real money mode.

What kind of online casino bonuses can players from Zambia claim?

The welcome bonus is one of the most popular incentives in online casinos, including the ones that accept players from Zambia. It’s an excellent boost for newly-joined clients to explore the offering. Other than this, there are no deposit bonuses, cashback deals, match bonuses, and so on.

Can players from Zambia gamble on mobile devices?

Of course, Zambian players can explore their favorite games while out and about by accessing the lobbies from their smartphones and tablets.

What are the most popular online casino games in Zambia?

Slot games are an undisputed leader, and one of the most favorite genres in a predominant number of countries, Zambia included. Other than this, players like to explore poker, Blackjack, video poker, Roulette as well as sports betting.