Online Reporter
Your Money, Your Call
Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba
PASS by any betting shop in Harare and you will catch it — not just the noise, but also the tension, the hushed panic behind the cheers, the anxious eyes locked on the chindege (aviator) game, hoping for a miracle, and often walking away empty-handed.
Gambling addiction in Zimbabwe has turned into a national crisis. From young professionals to seasoned managers, betting is cutting across social lines, pulling people into secrecy, shame and financial ruin.
Just recently, a Baker’s Inn manager was convicted of stealing company funds — losing everything to gambling — and is now serving time in a Harare prison. His story surfaced in court, but for many others, the tragedy plays out quietly in homes, churches and broken relationships.
“Mari yese yaenda kuchindege, munhu akatadza kutaura zvaitika kusvikira zvasvika kucourt (All the money was lost while playing the aviator and the loser couldn’t disclose what had happened until the matter spilled into court,” said a relative outside the courthouse, highlighting how addiction disguises itself in silence until the damage is too deep to hide. Unlike drug abuse, gambling leaves no physical signs, but its impact is far-reaching.
It chips away at mental health, trust and economic stability. Betting companies use calculated odds and engineered wins to keep hope alive and users hooked. And while lives unravel, the profits keep rising. Zimbabwe’s gambling industry is projected to rake in nearly US$197 million in 2025.
With slick mobile apps, enticing promotions and 24-hour access, gambling has become more than recreation — it is a business model built on psychological dependence.
The 10 percent tax introduced on winnings may boost Government revenue, but it also sends a conflicting message: taxing profit from a growing public health emergency. So, should these companies continue to operate while their customers spiral?
It is a difficult debate. Yes, the industry supports jobs and contributes to tax revenue, but it is also contributing to growing suicide rates, family breakdowns and crime.
Mental health professionals are seeing more cases of anxiety and depression linked to gambling. Churches are launching prayer campaigns to confront the issue. Uniformed officers are now barred from betting shops due to addiction risks.
Legally, Zimbabwe’s Lotteries and Gaming Act (Chapter 10:26) regulates gambling via the Lotteries and Gaming Board. While the law allows for suspension or revocation of licences, it does not yet grant authority to shut down gambling altogether.
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage is exploring reforms, including advertising controls, mobile betting restrictions and more ethical responsibilities for operators. But regulation alone is not enough. Zimbabwe needs:
Community-led recovery spaces, where healing is communal, not shameful.
Financial education initiatives in churches, schools and workplaces.
Stricter digital controls and real-time self-exclusion features.
Mandatory funding from gambling companies to support addiction counselling and public awareness.
If these companies profit from our pain, they must also fund our healing, and our lives must be more valuable than their bottom line. Zimbabwe stands at a moral crossroads. Will we protect a booming industry while watching families collapse?
Or will we prioritise the people, the stories and the futures at stake? The answer speaks not just to policy, but to who we are.
Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing and customer service consultant, customer experience columnist and sales and service trainer. Contact details: [email protected] or +263712979461, 0719978335, 0772978335, www.customersuccess.co.zw
Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter