GAMING LICENSE IN TANZANIA: REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURE

GAMING LICENSE IN TANZANIA: REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURE

 

Gaming Activities and Gaming License

In Tanzania, the Gaming License is governed by the Gaming License Act Cap. 41 and other related regulations. The Act defines gaming license to mean any license issued according to the Act, which authorizes the person named therein to engage in gaming activity or business; and gaming activity is defined in the same Act as any game played with cards, dice, equipment or any mechanical electromechanical or electronic device or machine for the money, property, checks, credit or credit card or any representative of value, including but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, bingo, wheel of fortune, baccarat, slot machine, horse race, lottery, wager or stake, any banking or percentage game or any other game or device approved by the Board, but does not include games played with cards in private homes or residences in which no person makes money for operating the game, except as a player, or games operated by charitable or educational organizations approved by the Board.

 

Regulatory and Licensing Authority

The Gaming Board of Tanzania as established by the Gaming Act is the gaming regulatory body which legally mandated to oversee, monitor, and regulate the conduct of gaming activities in Tanzania. Such a license is also required to be applied to ensure the legal operations of gaming services and activities.


Type of Gaming Licenses and Certificates

The Gaming Board of Tanzania may issue the following types of gaming licenses and certificates, as per section 26 of the Gaming Act Cap. 41 and its related amendments:
  • Casino license for conducting table games and slot machines
  • Slot machines or route operation for promotion of slot machines business in a shop
  • Manufacturer’s certificate for manufacturing of gaming equipment including its spare part
  • Seller’s or distributor’s license for supplying, selling, or servicing gaming equipment
  • Key gaming employee for a person in charge of any gaming activity at all times when the game is conducted 
  • Accreditation license for a person engaged in non-gaming activity within gaming premises
  • A support license is required for a person employed in gaming activities or a gaming employee
  • A retail gaming license is required by a retailer on a premise on which he maintains sole and exclusive legal possession of the entire premise for which he is issued
  • Internet casino license for conducting casino games through remote devices with Internet connection
  • SMS lottery license for conducting SMS lotteries for commercial purposes
  • Principal license for sports betting and slot machine operations
  • Internet sports betting license
  • Sports betting terminal license
  • Certificate of suitability for license of gaming activities

 

General Conditions for Gaming Licenses and Certificates

  1. These conditions apply to every applicant for a gaming license save where it has been stated otherwise:
  • Promotional lottery extract procedure
  • Procedures for Service Provider License Extract
  • Prize competition extract procedure
  • Extract procedures for Public Lottery License
  • Extract Procedures for Commercial Gaming License.
  1. These conditions require that an applicant for a gaming license:
  • Has never been denied a gaming license by the Board or any other jurisdiction;
  • Has never had a gaming license suspended or revoked in Tanzania or another jurisdiction;
  • Has never withdrawn an application for any gaming license anywhere for whatever reasons;
  • Possesses gaming premises that are deemed suitable by the Board;
  • Complies with all the provisions of the Act and the Gaming Regulations, 2003 as amended from time to time;
  • Has not been convicted of any criminal offense involving fraud or dishonesty; and
  • Has proof of adequate financing available to pay all obligations and to provide for adequate working capital to finance the gaming operations.
  1. In addition to the above statutory outlined conditions, other applicable conditions are that the applicant has;
  • Clean taxation history,
  • Technical ability,
  • Creditworthiness,
  • Clean compliance status,
  • Good business reputation,
  • State-of-the-art technology, and
  • Requisite capital investment.

Necessary documents required for Processing of the Application

  1. Duly completed application forms: the applicant has to complete application forms and adhere to all instructions related to the application.
  2. Business Plan/Feasibility Study containing the following;
  • A clear statement of project objectives;
  • Applicant’s operational profile,
  • A copy of the company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, in case no company has been formed, submit a copy of the proposed Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association.
  • Certified copy of the Certificate of Company Incorporation,
  • Corporate structure; detailing all the company’s present shareholders and founding shareholders, directors, and key employees,
  • Details of investment costs, financing arrangement, amount and sources of funding, commitment of funding e.g. contacts; terms and conditions of loans if applicable;
  • Descriptions of technology/equipment and its source,
  • Projected financial and economic analysis; the financial analysis including projected Annual Balance Sheets and Income Statements for the first three years;
  • The findings of the market study;
  • The expected social economic benefits such as employment, knowledge transfer, and Corporate Social Responsibility,
  • Proposed timelines for implementation of the project, and
  • Any other information that may be useful for determination of the application.
  1. Evidence of sufficient finance capital available for the implementation of the project,
  2. Proof of citizenship of every shareholder, director, and key employee. This includes detailed curriculum vitae for each shareholder, director, and key employee, a copy of the passport page containing particulars of the holder, passport size photograph, and police clearance report of the country of origin.
  3. Personal declaration form;
  4. Where the applicant is a juristic person, has to submit the most recent applicant’s audited financial statement,
  5. Tax Clearance Certificate from the revenue authority of the country of origin of the applicant, and for every shareholder, director, and key employee, where applicable;
  6. Statement from two persons (not relatives) vouching for the good moral character and financial responsibility of the shareholder and the proposed directors and senior officers at the time of application;
  7. Commitment to invest in the country: Applicant’s Board of Directors’ resolution to invest in Tanzania,
  8. Anti-bribe pledge form;
  9. Details of premises for operations conducted in physical premises (brick and mortar) e.g. land-based casino, route of operations, sports betting shops, etc.;
  10. Responsible gaming guidelines;
  11. Technology Certification documents e.g. letter of certification and report;
  12. Details of Service provider licensed to Tanzania

 

Minimum Investment Capital to secure Gaming License

  1. The minimum investment capital for a local Company is
    USD 300,000.00 or equivalent to Tanzanian Shillings whereas; for a foreign company, the requirement is USD 500,000.00 or equivalent to Tanzanian Shillings. In the event there is equal stakes in the company between locals and foreigners, the minimum capital shall be USD 400,000.00 or equivalent to Tanzania Shillings.
  2. The minimum capital requirement shall constitute the following:
  • Costs related to facilitation of application such as application fee, investigation fee, license fee, etc.
  • Acquisition of assets,
  • Pre-operating costs (renting costs, employee salary, work permit for foreigners, etc.), and
  • Describe initial working capital.
  1. The applicant shall be required to provide evidence to show that has satisfied the requirement of capital threshold during the evaluation process. Verification of capital shall be carried out during the background investigation.
  2. The applicant/licensee shall be required to operate a bank account with a local bank. The applicant/licensee shall notify the Board of such an account by providing the name of the bank and details of the account. The licensee shall notify the Board within 7 days after opening the account.
 
Applying for a Gaming license in Tanzania
Application is made online via the access link: https://glica.gamingboard.go.tz  TO REGISTER OR CONTACT us via info@alinlawcare.co.tz  for more information, guidance, and help.
 
The procedures above are to be read together with the Gaming Act CAP 41 R.E. 2019 and its Regulations 2003, Sports Betting Rules 2016 (for those making application in respect of Sports Betting operations).

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