The prospect of living in Zimbabwe is something of a gamble at the current time, so you may think that there might be little desire for visiting Zimbabwe’s gambling halls. In fact, it seems to be functioning the opposite way, with the crucial economic circumstances creating a higher ambition to bet, to try and find a fast win, a way out of the crisis.
For almost all of the citizens living on the abysmal local wages, there are two established forms of gambling, the national lotto and Zimbet. As with almost everywhere else on the globe, there is a state lottery where the chances of hitting are surprisingly low, but then the jackpots are also unbelievably large. It’s been said by financial experts who understand the idea that many don’t purchase a ticket with an actual assumption of hitting. Zimbet is founded on either the national or the UK football divisions and involves predicting the results of future matches.
Zimbabwe’s casinos, on the other foot, pander to the considerably rich of the state and tourists. Until recently, there was a extremely large sightseeing business, centered on nature trips and trips to Victoria Falls. The market woes and connected violence have carved into this market.
Among Zimbabwe’s gambling halls, there are two in the capital, Harare, the Carribea Bay Resort and Casino, which has five gaming tables and slots, and the Plumtree gambling hall, which has only slots. The Zambesi Valley Hotel and Entertainment Center in Kariba also has only slot machines. Mutare contains the Monclair Hotel and Casino and the Leopard Rock Hotel and Casino, the pair of which have gaming tables, one armed bandits and video poker machines, and Victoria Falls has the Elephant Hills Hotel and Casino and the Makasa Sun Hotel and Casino, each of which has video poker machines and tables.
In addition to Zimbabwe’s casinos and the aforestated mentioned lottery and Zimbet (which is quite like a parimutuel betting system), there are a total of 2 horse racing complexes in the nation: the Matabeleland Turf Club in Bulawayo (the 2nd municipality) and the Borrowdale Park in Harare.
Since the economy has contracted by more than 40% in recent years and with the associated deprivation and violence that has cropped up, it is not understood how healthy the tourist industry which is the foundation for Zimbabwe’s gambling halls will do in the next few years. How many of the casinos will carry through till conditions get better is basically unknown.
