Tanzania is preparing for a landmark comprehensive reform of its current gambling law system. The Tanzanian Law Reform Commission recently announced that gambling regulations will be included as one of the current seven key legal research topics, aimed at addressing the predicament where the existing legal framework lags behind real developments, and promoting a legal reshaping closer to social reality and public interest.
This news was officially announced by George Nandepo, the Executive Secretary of the Law Reform Commission, at the International Trade Fair. He pointed out that the commission is currently undertaking multiple legal research works, including gambling, ethics, criminal offenses, and economic development legislation, with the goal of creating a more modern, efficient, and responsible legal system for Tanzania.
Nandepo stated that as online and mobile gambling becomes increasingly popular in Tanzania, the current laws are struggling to meet the development needs of the emerging industry and urgently need careful evaluation and comprehensive revision. He emphasized, "We must ensure that the law can respond to social changes in a timely manner and always serve the public interest at its core."
He also mentioned that Tanzania's past experience in legal reform shows that public participation plays a decisive role in the quality of legislation. He called on the public to actively participate in the gambling law review process: "Anyone can express their opinions through letters or by visiting our office in person. We welcome all voices."
According to the Daily News, the commission has set up a booth at the fair to directly interact with citizens about legal reforms and public rights awareness issues, and to collect feedback. This action is not only to increase public participation but also exposes a real problem: many Tanzanians lack basic legal knowledge in areas such as gambling.
Zainab Issa, the head of legal education at the commission, stated that enhancing legal literacy among the population is a top priority in the current work. She pointed out that the public has very little awareness of their legal rights and responsibilities in gambling activities, which also exacerbates the disorder and risks in the industry.
"The law is not only a regulatory tool but should also be an educational tool," Issa said, "We need to reach all layers and corners through more diverse communication channels to make legal knowledge truly accessible."
This review of the gambling law is a continuation based on the results of the past thirteen legal research projects. These studies had focused on key areas such as investment and agriculture, filling long-standing institutional gaps.
Now, facing the rapid expansion of the gambling industry and rising social concerns, Tanzanian legislators clearly realize that traditional regulatory thinking alone cannot ensure the healthy operation of the market and the legal rights of the public.
Through this large-scale review and public consultation, Tanzania is trying to promote gambling law reform in a more inclusive and transparent manner. This not only signifies a transformation in regulatory thinking but also marks an important step towards the modernization of the rule of law in the country. In the future, the operating rules, operational qualifications, social responsibilities, and even gambling advertising standards of the gambling industry may all be included in the new legal framework.
In this process, the public is no longer just passive recipients of the law but direct participants in the future rule-making of the industry. How Tanzania will balance protecting public interests and promoting economic vitality is worth continuous attention.
