Find the Best Bookmakers in Zimbabwe 2023 🇿🇼

Favorite Sports to bet on in Zimbabwe

Football is the most popular type of sport. The Zimbabwe Warriors serve as the national team. Recently, women's football has also gained traction amongst bookie users. Cricket is also regularly watched by the country's populace. Their national team managed to attain test status in 1992. In fact, the Zimbabwean batsman Andy Flower became known as the world's best during the early 2000s.

There is also a large player base for field hockey within Zimbabwe. As a result, it has received a high number of betting markets online. The number of pro players is fairly equally split between both men and women. It should be noted that plenty of well-known golfers come from Zimbabwe. This has helped it to gain greater attention from bookies based in this country.

Best Odds for sports betting

Gamblers in Zimbabwe will want to choose sports that offer the best possible odds. This will largely depend on the type of bet and specific market. Generally speaking, ones that only have two possible outcomes are ideal. This is because the punter will likely have a 50/50 chance of attaining a win. Therefore choosing between two teams in a football match will be very appealing.

Odds also tend to be good in horseracing. Notable markets include "to win" and "to place" bets. Each way, wagers help to increase the chances of a potential payout. However, the person will need to do some research beforehand on the horses competing. There are numerous tennis-based markets that offer excellent odds for people based within Zimbabwe. These include "handicap," "total games," and “first set win.”

Biggest Tournaments And Events

Punters may struggle to find high-profile local sporting events within Zimbabwe. The most talented athletes tend to join foreign teams as they offer greater career opportunities. However, over the years, this nation has collaborated with international sports organizations and hosted a range of tournaments. The most significant one is the iconic All-Africa Games‎.

Cricket fans will be interested to read that the national Tri-Series, as well as the male and female Cricket World Cups, were held in Zimbabwe. The African Olympic Qualifier and Women's Intercontinental Cup also utilized the country as a venue for hockey matches.

A range of rugby events has taken place in Zimbabwe. They include the African Under-19s, Women's Africa Cup Sevens, World Rugby Under 20 Trophy, and the Victoria Cup. Matches also occurred during the Africa qualifying stages of the Rugby World Cup. More niche sporting events include the IPSC Handgun World Shoot and All-Africa Korfball Championship.

Biggest Sporting Events Zimbabwean bettors bet on

Higher profile events will tend to receive the largest amount of gambling traffic. When Zimbabwe teams take part in them, the citizens will be more likely to make a wager. Good examples of this include the Summer and Winter Olympics. Cricket events such as the ODI and T20 World Cups also saw plenty of punting activity. So too did Zimbabwe matches during the Rugby World Cup.

However, football matches tend to dominate. This is due to the mass popularity of the sport within the country. Sometimes citizens will place a bet in favor of their nation in order to show their support. Gamblers can keep up with upcoming events so that they can research and plan for them. For example, the 2027 Cricket World Cup is likely to see a surge in betting activity when Zimbabwe hosts it.

Are Bonuses Popular in Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe bookies often use bonuses in order to get new players interested. This is a common technique with gambling sites all over the world. There are plenty of bonus types for Zimbabweans to take advantage of. Express bets of the day focus on a specific event.

Sign-up bonuses give new users things such as free bets if they decide to join the site. Combo boosts are popular because they enhance the odds. If the user is worried that their wager will lose, they could opt for a bet insurance bonus. Zimbabwe-based players have a plethora of options.

Sports betting Payment Methods in Zimbabwe

Most international gamblers tend to use a bank to transfer funds to and from a bookmaker. However, the number of people in Zimbabwe with their own bank accounts is surprisingly low. In 2017 this number was just 28 percent of the population, compared to the world average of 58 percent.

Therefore betting fans in this country may have to find alternatives to traditional banking. The good news is that sports betting sites based in Zimbabwe recognize this fact. Consequently, they provide a wide range of payment options.

Prepaid cards have become popular. If there is a card shop provider in the local area, then this is the ideal way to wager on sporting events. On the other hand, punters need to use the card before a deadline elapses.

Recently there has been an increase in the number of African bookies that accept cryptocurrencies. It is the perfect option for gamblers who want to increase their anonymity. The main issue is that the real-world value of these coins can change on an hourly basis.

African online bookies are well known for relying on GSM networks. They may even enter into partnerships with GSM operators. It makes payments far more portable. More than 560 million people in the African continent rely on this method.

History of Betting in Zimbabwe

The citizens of this nation have enjoyed various forms of gambling for a surprisingly long time. It has a rich history. Horse and dog racing are particularly important to the overall culture of Zimbabwe. During the colonial years, the former was solely reserved for the elite. However, eventually, it gained popularity to the point where all social classes could enjoy it.

Betting was once considered by many Zimbabweans to be a social vice. These views have changed to the point where sports wagering is now embraced by a large portion of the population. Over the years, the capital of Harare has evolved into a hub for sports-based gambling. Zimbabwe enjoys this activity so much that it is one of the rare few African nations to own professional race tracks.

Betting Nowadays

In the modern age, gambling has shifted online. When the internet became more affordable and readily available to people within Zimbabwe, it completely changed the industry. People were no longer restricted to the local markets available from brick-and-mortar bookies. Instead, they could place a wager on international sporting events.

The internet has also given people access to more niche markets. It is possible to gamble on specialist sport games. However, this has not stopped the majority of Zimbabwean punters from focusing on the most mainstream ones. When a high-profile tournament such as the World Cup takes place, there is a surge in wagering within this nation. Furthermore, bookie users have greater portability thanks to the emergence of smart devices.

Future of Betting

The future of sports betting in Zimbabwe will be based on a number of factors. The first is ongoing changes to legislation. It will impact the online wagering experience for citizens, as well as the number of bookmakers they legally have access to. Furthermore, it is possible that tax increases on winnings could occur. If so, it will mean that gamblers will be left with less money if they manage to place a successful wager.

Changes to the global industry will also play a role. The current state of Zimbabwean gambling has been directly affected by new innovations and technology internationally. For example, if a new device were invented that enhanced the wagering experience, it would change the industry worldwide, including Zimbabwe.

Are Bookmakers Legal in Zimbabwe?

Betting Legislation

The government within Zimbabwe has taken steps to reduce the surge in online sports wagering. However, this does not mean that the practice is illegal. Instead, it is heavily regulated. If a bookie wants to cater to Zimbabwean clients, then it needs to obtain a license first. Newer bookmakers may find this more difficult. Publications such as Bloomberg have noted that the government has ceased awarding gambling licenses.

Due to the legislation requiring licenses and the lack of new ones being released, citizens in Zimbabwe will have better luck utilizing older and more established punting sites. On the other hand, the co.zw domain has seen an increase in websites. They are full of organizations focused on providing betting opportunities on sports such as horse racing, cricket, football, and greyhound racing.

It should be noted that it is perfectly legal to gamble via foreign bookmakers. The main caveat is that it still needs to be licensed. The government in Zimbabwe does not currently have legislation in place to regulate unlicensed sites. It is important that citizens keep up to date on any news laws coming into force. That way, they will be less likely to inadvertently break the rules.

Betting Acts

To understand the current state of Zimbabwe's sports betting legislation, it is useful to analyze past betting acts. The most important one is the Lotteries and Gaming Act, which came into force in 2000.

The Lotteries and Gambling Board oversees the wagering industry and uses this act when making its decisions. This government-sanctioned regulatory body is defined by the 2000 Act. The piece of legislation also outlines the reasons for denying a license claim from a bookmaker. There is a section stating that no one under the age of eighteen can gamble.

In early 2022 the LGB stated its intention to review the 2000 act. Their reasoning is that it needs to be updated now that gambling has moved online. Therefore internet-based sports wagering could be affected by changes to it.

The government also wants to increase the fees that organizations need to pay in order to obtain a license. On the surface, this might not affect the average Zimbabwean gambler. However, it could decrease the amount of sports betting site options. There are loopholes related to online wagering. These are likely to be fixed in the near future when the 2000 act is tweaked.

FAQs

Are Betting Winnings Taxed in Zimbabwe?

Yes. This is important to be aware of. The government will place a tax on any gambling winnings. This tends to be around 10%. As a result, those who win big will need to pay more. The good news is that this incentivizes the Zimbabwean authorities to keep sports betting legal.

What Is the Minimum Gambling Age in Zimbabwe?

People in/from Zimbabwe have to be eighteen or over to enjoy sports betting. It is unwise for minors to engage in this activity. If they do, they will be breaking the law and unable to retain any winnings. Furthermore, bookmakers found catering to minors will face prosecution and lose their license.

What If Gamblers Use a VPN in Zimbabwe?

Recently some people have started to use VPNs in order to access certain online bookie sites. If the bookmaker finds out about this, they usually terminate the account. The Zimbabwean player will be unable to cash out their winnings as a result. Therefore, it is unwise to utilize this type of technology for wagering purposes.

Can Zimbabweans Gamble With Currencies Other Than ZWL?

The Zimbabwean dollar (ZWL) is the main form of legal tender within this country. However, if the person is using a foreign sportsbook, they might need to use an alternative currency such as the US dollar. If so, it is important to check the exchange rate. Doing so will give them an idea of what the total winnings will be when cashed out.

Most Popular Bookies in Zimbabwe