Licensing and regulation: Can we get a licence?

The Gaming and Lotteries Control Act, 2026 (Act No. 3 of 2026), assented 23 February 2026, repeals the Gambling Prevention Act (Cap 109), the Computer Wagering Licensing Act (Cap 149), the Lotteries Control Act (Cap 151) and the Gaming Control Act (Cap 152) under its section 61, and its section 62 deems licences issued under those predecessor statutes to continue once the new Act takes effect. No commencement date has been located. Pending commencement, the Gaming Control Board — a nine-member body appointed by the Minister under Cap 152 — continues to issue Gaming Premises (Casino) and Gaming Machine (Establishment) licences, with the Investment Promotion and Compliance Unit acting as its secretariat for application processing, background checks and compliance site visits across the licence classes it administers, including online gaming. The Lotteries Committee, established under Cap 151 and comprising the Auditor General or a representative, the responsible ministry's chief executive or representative, the Secretary to the Gaming Control Board, and three further Board members, continues to issue lottery licences in parallel. The 2025 Bill precursor to Act No. 3 of 2026 establishes a Gaming and Lotteries Commission with a separate governing Board of Directors intended to supersede this structure on commencement, while a June 2025 notice and a conflicting 2022 Board notice give differing accounts of which online operators, if any, hold a valid licence.