Best Betting Sites in Tanzania
With more internet access over the last decade, more and more online sports betting enthusiasts in Africa seem to have tapped into the betting world, those in Tanzania included.
Tanzania is East Africa's third-biggest economy with sports betting accounting for a significant part of the national revenue.
Tanzania's treasury receives
1.5 billion shillings monthly due to funds collected from sports betting taxes. As of now, Tanzania has more than 2,500 betting shops located in several places countrywide, though a huge number of them are in the capital city, Dar es Salaam. With internet connectivity mobile penetration improving by the day, there's also a steady rise of online betting sites in Tanzania.
The Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT) oversees the entire gambling activities with online sports betting having been considered legal back in 2003. This follows the enactment of the Gaming Act Cap. 41.
Besides regulating gambling-related activities,
the GBT is also tasked with issuing gambling licenses to operators that meet all the requirements. A majority of the current licensees consist of local brands. However, there are several other unlicensed foreign bookies such as
Bet365 and
1XBet operating freely in Tanzania.
TOP 5 ONLINE BOOKMAKERS IN TANZANIA
5 things to know when betting in Tanzania
- 18 years is the legal age of gambling
- All forms of gambling were made legal by the 2003 Gaming Act Cap. 41
- A tax of 25% on their GGR applies to all licensed operators
- Player winnings are subjected to a 20% tax
- No legal action is taken for bettors who bet on foreign bookies
Top betting sites in Tanzania
Our aim is to ensure that you enjoy a
good betting experience from the beginning to the end. That's why we go an extra mile to present to you some of the
best betting sites that you can play at in Tanzania.
We've chosen them based on several parameters such as high odds, a wide variety of betting options and markets, and player-security, among others. For the best online sports betting experience, you may want to try your hand at
888sport, 1XBet, and 22BET.
Online sports betting in Tanzania from a legal perspective
It was on the 1st of July 2003 that
online sports betting was officially legalized in Tanzania following the government's establishment of the Gaming Act Cap. 41. But before that, the 1974 National Lotteries Act and the 1967 Pools and Lotteries Act regulated Tanzania's local gaming industry. But as you may now be aware, all these functions are now carried out by the Gaming Board of Tanzania (
GBT).
Currently, all licensed bookies (
apart from Meridianbet Tanzania) are local, including the likes of Sportpesa and M-Bet. Surprisingly, there's no single international bookie with a local permit, meaning that no taxes apply to even the notable bookies operating in Tanzania.
Such is in contrast with local licensees who must submit a 25% GGR in taxes. Players betting on local operators must, therefore, be prepared to have 20% tax shaved off should they make some winnings,
unlike those who place their bets on foreign bookies.
Foreign bookies that accept Tanzanian bettors
In a sea of
plenty of international bookmakers, it may be hard finding the best ones to partner with since local players are free to wager on any foreign bookie that they prefer. To save your time, we've done the job on your behalf to present to you some of the most popular ones below:
1XBet Tanzania
This bookies offers its players attractive promos and bonuses, regardless of whether the players are existing members or newly registered. This sportsbook is known for its high EPL odds in addition to more than 100 sports betting markets. Furthermore,
1XBet has a very lite mobile app, a huge variety of payment options and gives bettors a chance to bet using the Tanzanian shilling.
Bet365 Tanzania
This is one of those top bookies, especially when it comes to betting on football. If you are in the market for a bookie with high odds on football, more than 100 betting markets, generous welcome packages, and a quick mobile app to use, then you better try
Bet365 Tanzania. Here, players can benefit from live streaming services in addition to lots of payment methods than include e-wallets.
22Bet Tanzania
This bookie welcomes new players with an irresistible initial deposit bonus, highly competitive odds, and a huge selection of betting markets. Those on the lookout for daily promos, a lite mobile app, and several means of funding their accounts can try
22Bet Tanzania.
Legal betting companies in Tanzania
Apart from
Meridianbet, almost the entire sports betting sites with licenses to operate in Tanzania are local operators. Examples of domestic operators serving local bettors in Tanzania include
Mkekabet, Betpawa, TBet, Sportpesa, and M-Bet.
But again, there are other foreign bookies such as
Betfair and
Bwin that serve Tanzanian bettors freely without the possession of a sports betting license. Again, so far, there are no known legal actions that have ever been taken against these operators. Still, bettors who choose to place bets on them (mainly due to their high odds) haven't been faced with any legal actions.
Sports betting operators in Tanzania where taxes aren't applicable
For a player, there's nothing more frustrating than having to surrender part of your winnings to the government in the form of taxes, however small that can be.
In Tanzania, a majority of bettors always look for means of bypassing the 20% tax that's applicable on their winnings.
But how do they achieve this goal? It's by wagering on international betting companies that aren't supposed to apply for local Tanzanian betting licenses. Foreign brands such as
888sport and Ladbrokes Tanzania don't fall under Tanzania's jurisdiction, meaning that they aren't obliged to tax customers' winnings at all. If you want to avoid such taxes, the only trick is to bet at international
sportsbooks as opposed to local ones where a 20% tax applies to customers' net winnings.
Sports Betting in Tanzania: Payment Methods
Globally, bettors prefer fast, easy, and secure payment options when engaging in sports betting.
The same is true for Tanzanian players. Luckily in Tanzania, there are plenty of deposit and withdrawal options available for bettors in the country. Some of the most popular deposit methods preferred by most bettors, especially on domestic sites include
Ezypesa, M-Pesa, HaloPesa, Tigo Pesa, and Airtel Money.
All the above five
methods are facilitated by Tanzania's top telecommunication companies such as Tigo, Vodacom, Halotel, Zantel, and Airtel. Currently, though, there's no known foreign bookie that allow local bettors to make deposits using any of the aforementioned means.
With all foreign bookies not being party to local payment methods, a majority of local bettors are now resorting to global payment methods, such as Neteller, Skrill, and EcoPayz.
Future trends of online sports betting in Tanzania
While Tanzania's market is currently dominated by a plethora of local operators, there's hope for the future with several international brands expressing their interest in serving this lucrative market. A good number of them are now applying for local sports betting licenses.
Apt examples of foreign bookies who have expressed an interest include Melbet and Parimatch. All this is despite what appears to be a substantial
25% GGR tax. It is expected that sooner rather than later, other foreign bookies will follow suit. Despite what appears to be a slow licensing procedure, nevertheless,
the future of Tanzania's online sports betting looks bright.
Complete list of Tanzanian betting sites
- Bet365 – this bookie is ideal for those who fancy football since the odds on football matches are slightly high. Additionally, there are more than 150 extra bets on top leagues in addition to several multiple Asian handicap markets.
- Librabet – bettors here will find high odds on soccer matches, attractive welcome bonuses, and a huge variety of betting markets.
- Bwin – at Bwin, players can bet on cards issued and corners, more than 50 sports to bet on and the chance to edit their bets.
- FEZbet – FEZbet allows for player cashout, next minute bets, and comes with the promise of fast markets.
- BETWINNER – here, bettors can bet on horse racing not forgetting that the site offers 98+ on tennis and more than 1000 pre-match events on a daily basis.
- 22BET – this bookie offers its players more than 1,000 live events daily, cashout option, and a 95% payout on some of the top leagues.
- 1XBET – at 1XBET, players stand of enjoying and betting on 1,000 live matches daily, 10,000 live events per month and more than 50 different sports to wager on.
- 888sport – something ideal about this sportsbook is the fact that there's a 'bet builder' and more than 40 different sports to wager on. Additionally, the site offers more than 10,000 live sporting events per month.
- UNIBET – UNIBET has more than 250,000 pre-match events every year, 10,000 live events on a monthly basis, and offers 96%+ on Asian handicaps.
- MELBET – this one is ideal for those who prefer betting in anonymity while being assured of their security while betting. Also, the site offers partial cash out and full cash out.
Frequently Asked Questions