Malawi Gaming Board sleeping on the job: Betting companies rigging systems to dupe Malawian gamblers

…Gaming Board officials accused of pocketing kickbacks

Explosive allegations have emerged that some betting companies are rigging their systems to lure Malawians into gambling.

The companies are accused of using manipulated multimillion-kwacha “winnings” to create the impression that gamblers are routinely winning huge amounts of money.

The whistleblower further alleges that some promoters are given specially rigged accounts designed to hit manipulated jackpots, making spectacular wins appear genuine to people watching online. It is a scenario reminiscent of Ozark, the Netflix crime drama in which casino gambling operations are manipulated behind the scenes, except these allegations concern real gamblers spending real money in Malawi.

If substantiated, this would go beyond misleading advertising. It suggests that some people being showcased as big winners may be playing under conditions and accounts deliberately engineered to produce results that ordinary gamblers cannot replicate.

The revelations raise serious questions about Malawi Gaming Board and its effectiveness in regulating the rapidly growing gambling industry.

A whistleblower who claims to have previously promoted one of the betting platforms alleges they were given a dummy account showing a balance of K30 million. But the money was allegedly not real. The whistleblower claims they could neither withdraw nor use the millions displayed in the account like an ordinary customer.

Instead, they allege the account was configured specifically for promotional purposes. The whistleblower further claims the betting company manipulated supposed “winnings” while they played and instructed them to screen-record the results.

The recordings could then be shared with followers, creating the impression that the promoter was genuinely playing and repeatedly winning huge amounts of money.

“They told me to be playing and screen recording my winnings that were altered by them because they knew I was a partner,” the whistleblower alleged.

The source claims the games they were playing were effectively matched or configured to produce the promotional results being shown to potential gamblers.

Other sources have also alleged that several Malawian celebrities and television personalities are involved in promoting the scheme. They claim some public figures have been sharing screenshots and videos of supposedly huge winning stakes to convince their followers that similar fortunes can be made through the platforms.

The sources allege that some of these personalities are not ordinary lucky gamblers but promoters operating accounts or arrangements linked to betting companies. Malawi24 has not independently established how deep the said celebrities are involved in the scheme to deceive gamblers.

If accurate, this would mean people watching the videos were not necessarily seeing the same gambling experience available to an ordinary customer depositing their own money.

According to the whistleblower, the multimillion-kwacha balance displayed in the promotional account was essentially dummy money designed to make the account appear highly successful.

The allegations come amid a proliferation of betting promotions on social media in Malawi, some showcasing people apparently winning millions of kwacha.

The whistleblower’s claims now raise questions about whether all the spectacular winnings being advertised to Malawians are genuine and withdrawable.

The allegations therefore put Malawi Gaming Board under the spotlight. The regulator is expected to protect gamblers and ensure operators comply with Malawi’s gambling laws and regulatory requirements. Yet the allegations raise questions about how closely promotional accounts, influencer partnerships, advertised winnings and the systems used by licensed betting operators are being scrutinised.

There have also been allegations that some people connected to the regulator could be benefiting from the industry, receiving kickbacks from the unscrupulous operators. Malawi24 has not obtained evidence establishing that any Gaming Board official has received kickbacks.

The source also shared evidence with Malawi24 which appears to show children accessing and playing betting games, raising further questions about age-verification safeguards and regulatory enforcement. The source alleges that despite such practices, Malawi Gaming Board has failed to take effective action against operators. The regulator has also been accused of failing to enforce restrictions on gambling advertisements, including an alleged ban on such advertisements appearing on any form of media before 9pm.

The allegations raise questions about whether existing safeguards are being adequately enforced, particularly when children may be exposed to gambling promotions or gain access to betting platforms. Malawi24 is seeking responses from the betting company concerned and Malawi Gaming Board and will publish their positions.