Lottery tickets are legal to purchase in Eswatini under the Lotteries Act of 1963, which provides comprehensive regulation for both small exempted lotteries and public lotteries. The Minister responsible for Tourism may grant an exclusive license to any person of integrity with adequate financial resources to promote and conduct public lotteries. These licenses are valid for fifteen years and renewable for additional periods not exceeding ten years, ensuring long-term regulatory oversight (1).
The Gaming Board of Eswatini, established under the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, oversees all lottery operations and licensing procedures. Lottery operators must pay an application fee of E350,000 and annual license fees as determined by the Gaming Board. Players must be at least 18 years old to purchase lottery tickets, and no ticket may be sold to or by anyone under that age (2).
"The Minister may, upon such conditions as he deems fit, grant and issue to any person an exclusive licence to promote and conduct public lotteries if he is satisfied that such person is a person of integrity."
The Lotteries Act exempts public lottery licensees from all taxes on income derived from lottery operations, though corporate income tax at 25% applies to other gambling operators. Small charitable lotteries are also permitted under Part III of the Act, provided they meet specific conditions including registration with Regional Administrators and compliance with prize fund limitations. The Gaming Act of 2022 further modernized gambling regulation, maintaining comprehensive oversight of lottery activities alongside casinos and sports betting operations throughout the country (1).
Source:
https://eswatinilii.org/akn/sz/act/1963/40/eng@1998-12-01/source
https://legalpilot.com/country/eswatini/
Last updated: 16-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
