About twenty years ago, gambling in Zimbabwe was considered a social vice, a vanity, and was treated negatively. In the country, betting is only allowed on horse races, state lottery, and single casinos. Nowadays, everything has changed dramatically. Despite this, Zimbabwe is not even in the top five countries where gambling is considered a common pastime.
Betting shops and underground casinos are opening in different parts of the country. Residents, tired of moneylessness, are hungry for easy money, and therefore, interest in illegal gambling is growing. According to the International Labor Organization, today, Zimbabwe’s unemployment and poverty rate is 5.4%. The country’s foreign debt has almost reached 10 billion dollars.
Gambling is now in many major cities, especially in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. Most hotels have casinos open to tourists and locals alike. Although Zimbabwe has a Council that regulates gambling and issues licenses to gambling operators, the number of illegal establishments is growing.
The problem concerns not only land-based casinos but also the online sector. Thus, a large number of gambling sites have appeared on the Internet, offering a variety of entertainment for money. The most popular in recent times is Plinko, a game with exciting gameplay and simple rules. Gambling-related informational sites can help newcomers master the game rules and gameplay. The most visited website is https://plinkogames.in/. The latter also features a selection of online casinos offering to play Plinko for money.
Social commentators highlight the positive and negative aspects of gambling’s popularization. According to Edmos Mtetwa, a lecturer at the School of Social Work in Harare, the rise of gambling is a social disease triggered by several economic factors. Mtetwa does not believe that gambling will help reduce poverty in the country. On the contrary, locals will lose their last money.
Zimbabwe’s unstable economy is putting pressure on Zimbabweans, looking for opportunities to make a quick buck. According to economist Godfrey Kanyenze, if the country’s economic situation stabilizes, the problem of gambling will gradually disappear.
While Zimbabwe’s gambling industry is experiencing phenomenal growth, the situation in other African countries is different. Gambling is less prevalent in Nigeria and Kenya, where the economic situation is more stable. South Africa has the largest gambling market, and its gross revenue exceeds 1.6 billion dollars.