Gamblers miffed over online sites

 The gambling watchdog- Botswana Gambling Authority (BGA) move to tighten screws against online betting sites operating illegally in Botswana left dozens of punters stranded after the gambling watchdog newly licensed online betting sites blackout since Thursday last week. Punters were up against the new betting sites and the gambling authority on social media, accusing them of conniving in their quest to rob them their hard earned cash. Dozens of desperate punters descended on the just newly online betting sites after the gambling watchdog issued a seize and desist notice to offshore online betting sites that most of punters preferred for betting in the past . 

The seize and desist notice led to international betting sites such as Betway voluntarily announcing their exit last year, as they were planning to acquire a gambling license. The only international betting site-Bet365 which has been operating illegally in Botswana announced their exit in the market recently, as new players such as Betway trading as Deltabay, Sunbet and Psbet started online betting last week. Bet365 move to publicly announce their exit left desperate punters to use new online betting sites that left dozens stranded. The gambling watchdog has kept mum about the recent developments. 

Botswana Gambling Authority (BGA) Spokesperson, Moruntshi Kemorwale could not comment about the hiccups that has left punters furious and dejected. He indicated that they usually engage with organizations that regulate gambling worldwide to weed out most of the international online betting sites operating illegally in the country. He could not share more details on whether they issued a seize and notice to Bet365 to stop their illegal betting activities. 

Bet365 issued a statement lately indicating that they will stop operating in Botswana on April 1. 

Kemorwale could also not respond as to whether they engaged the gambling watchdog body in United Kingdom (UK) to stop what they termed illegal online betting operation by Bet365. “We talk to the regulators where this illegal online betting sites have been issued licences.If they persist operating illegally, they know they will lose their licences. If a company that has been awarded a license to operate in Botswana go into another market that is not licenced to operate, we issue a notice of seize and desist ,’’ said Kemorwale, adding that Betway has since been given up to April 1 to withdraw any of their service. Kemorwale explained that they could not be punitive since the same betting sites was in possession of people funds. He said that they have given them time to wind up before April 1. The gambling watchdog issued as seize and desist notice to most of international companies betting sites that were operating illegaly last year in a bid to address illegal gambling in Botswana. 

A report that the gambling authority carried out shows that about 510 000 punters that the authority found to be involved in illegal gambling in Botswana. PstBet Botswana Chief Executive Officer, Advocate Moloko Gaboutloeloe denied any claims that their online betting site has was inactive last week. 

Gaboutloeloe indicated that theirs was small hicups that were resolved on the spot. He fears that the campaign against online betting companies that came into operation this month was sponsored by illegal operators. He indicated that their fear is that the illegal operators have resorted to using their former agents to wage a PR battle against newbies and the authority. PSBet is one of the gambling companies that has already open two betting sites where people can walk in. “We have since opened two betting sites in Gaborone and Palapye recently,’’ he said. 

He said that they started online betting after they satisfied the requirements to set up brick and motor betting site. Meanwhile, Betway Botwana admitted in a press release this week that they encountered technical issues that prevented punters from placing bets,viewing their bets and cashing out bets. “We believe this issues have been resolved and we confident that our customers will enjoy seamless experience, “state Betway Botswana. 

Gambling Authority Spokesperson, Moruntshi Kemorwale