The act of living in Zimbabwe is something of a risk at the moment, so you may imagine that there would be very little desire for patronizing Zimbabwe’s gambling halls. Actually, it appears to be working the opposite way around, with the awful economic conditions creating a higher desire to gamble, to try and locate a quick win, a way from the situation.
For most of the citizens subsisting on the abysmal local earnings, there are two common styles of gambling, the national lottery and Zimbet. Just as with most everywhere else on the globe, there is a national lotto where the probabilities of hitting are surprisingly low, but then the prizes are also unbelievably large. It’s been said by economists who look at the subject that most don’t buy a ticket with the rational expectation of profiting. Zimbet is centered on one of the national or the United Kingston soccer divisions and involves predicting the results of future matches.
Zimbabwe’s casinos, on the other foot, pander to the incredibly rich of the country and travelers. Up till a short time ago, there was a incredibly large vacationing business, based on nature trips and trips to Victoria Falls. The market woes and associated crime have carved into this trade.
Amongst Zimbabwe’s gambling dens, there are 2 in the capital, Harare, the Carribea Bay Resort and Casino, which has 5 gaming tables and slot machines, and the Plumtree Casino, which has only slot machine games. The Zambesi Valley Hotel and Entertainment Center in Kariba also has only slots. Mutare has the Monclair Hotel and Casino and the Leopard Rock Hotel and Casino, the two of which contain gaming tables, slots and electronic poker machines, and Victoria Falls has the Elephant Hills Hotel and Casino and the Makasa Sun Hotel and Casino, each of which offer slot machines and blackjack, roulette, and craps tables.
In addition to Zimbabwe’s casinos and the previously talked about lottery and Zimbet (which is considerably like a parimutuel betting system), there is a total of two horse racing complexes in the state: the Matabeleland Turf Club in Bulawayo (the second city) and the Borrowdale Park in Harare.
Given that the market has deflated by beyond 40% in the past few years and with the associated deprivation and violence that has resulted, it is not understood how healthy the tourist industry which supports Zimbabwe’s gambling halls will do in the next few years. How many of the casinos will carry through till things get better is simply unknown.