The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) has informed the High Court that an investigation into illegal online gambling in Eswatini has escalated into an international inquiry focused on fraud and organized crime. Detective Constable Ntokozo Dlamini from the Organized Crime Unit revealed these developments in a recent affidavit, which indicates that evidence gathered from confiscated devices points to connections between the criminal operation and notable political figures, police personnel, and immigration officials.
In total, over 400 electronic devices are currently undergoing forensic analysis with the aid of INTERPOL. In conjunction with this, INTERPOL reported that 240 devices have been seized, and 82 individuals have been arrested during the Eswatini part of Operation First Light 2026.
The police action included coordinated raids in Mbabane and Ezulwini conducted earlier in 2026, specifically targeting Castle Hotel in Mbabane, identified as one of the syndicate's key operational centers.
What started as a domestic case of illegal gambling and immigration control has broadened significantly. In March 2026, REPS arrested 146 foreign nationals—predominantly from China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Brazil—during the initial raids, seizing 313 electronic devices. Those apprehended are facing charges under the Gaming Control Act, the Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Prevention) Act, and the Immigration Act.
Dlamini notes that forensic examinations revealed an organized scheme involved in exploiting victims from Brazil and India while managing unauthorized online gambling platforms out of Eswatini. The criminal network reportedly collated its earnings and converted them into cryptocurrency, particularly USDT, before transferring those funds through financial institutions located in Abu Dhabi and the United States back to Eswatini.
Further investigations exposed a sophisticated impersonation scam linked to the network. During the inquiry, officials discovered what seemed to be a counterfeit Brazilian police holding facility within Castle Hotel, equipped with Brazilian police uniforms, a bulletproof vest, communication radios, and a Brazilian Federal Police badge. Members of the criminal group allegedly impersonated Brazilian Federal Police officers during calls with victims, warning them that they were under investigation and pressuring them into signing false confidentiality agreements and transferring money to accounts allegedly secured by the Brazilian Central Bank.
Approximately 40 Brazilian citizens are believed to have been deceived by this operation. INTERPOL has deployed its Operational Support Team to Eswatini under Operation First Light 2026, which has intercepted illegal assets valued at $293 million across 97 countries.
Concurrent with these developments, political pressure surrounding Eswatini's gambling licensing system has intensified. National Commissioner of Police Vusi Manoma Masango sent a memorandum on 2 June 2026, to the principal secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs. The memo proposes a temporary halt on the issuance of gambling licenses while the investigation unfolds, warning that continuing to issue licenses could lead to additional infiltration by criminal groups that might jeopardize the nation’s security and economic stability.
Masango has publicly emphasized that no one is above the law, regardless of their political standing. He stated on 3 August in the Times of Eswatini, "No individual is above the law, regardless of rank or political influence and we do not fear them."
The issue has also gained traction in Eswatini's parliament. Senate Deputy President Ndumiso Mdluli urged Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini in mid-August to investigate whether local politicians may have unknowingly been leasing properties to foreign nationals involved in illegal online gambling. He expressed concern about the lenient penalties for offenders, citing that in June, 84 of those arrested were convicted only of immigration offences rather than gambling offences, receiving six-month sentences with the option to pay a fine of E500 ($30).
Although Eswatini's Gaming Control Act of 2022 is in effect, the necessary implementing regulations are still under development. In December 2025, MPs called for a pause on new gambling licenses until these regulations are finalized. The Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs has since restricted new applications while renewing only four licenses under careful oversight. The Ministry of Finance has alerted the High Court that the lack of regulation poses a risk of placing Eswatini on international financial-crime gray lists.
The analysis of the confiscated devices is ongoing, and police indicate that a comprehensive report will be provided in due course. The findings are anticipated to increase the pressure on Eswatini to bolster its gambling regulatory framework. What began as a localized raid in March 2026 has since evolved into a complex case involving numerous victims and a highly organized scam, likely affecting future gambling legislation in the country.
