The act of living in Zimbabwe is something of a risk at the moment, so you might envision that there would be little desire for going to Zimbabwe’s gambling halls. Actually, it seems to be working the other way around, with the atrocious economic conditions creating a greater eagerness to play, to try and find a fast win, a way out of the problems.
For many of the citizens living on the abysmal local money, there are 2 dominant forms of wagering, the national lottery and Zimbet. Just as with practically everywhere else on the globe, there is a state lottery where the chances of succeeding are remarkably low, but then the winnings are also very large. It’s been said by market analysts who look at the subject that the majority don’t purchase a ticket with a real expectation of profiting. Zimbet is founded on either the domestic or the British soccer divisions and involves predicting the results of future games.
Zimbabwe’s casinos, on the other shoe, mollycoddle the extremely rich of the nation and travelers. Until a short time ago, there was a extremely substantial tourist business, based on safaris and visits to Victoria Falls. The economic collapse and associated crime have cut into this trade.
Amongst Zimbabwe’s gambling dens, there are two in the capital, Harare, the Carribea Bay Resort and Casino, which has five gaming tables and slots, and the Plumtree Casino, which has only slots. The Zambesi Valley Hotel and Entertainment Center in Kariba also has just slot machines. Mutare has the Monclair Hotel and Casino and the Leopard Rock Hotel and Casino, both of which offer gaming tables, one armed bandits and video machines, and Victoria Falls houses the Elephant Hills Hotel and Casino and the Makasa Sun Hotel and Casino, each of which has video poker machines and table games.
In addition to Zimbabwe’s casinos and the above alluded to lottery and Zimbet (which is quite like a parimutuel betting system), there are a total of 2 horse racing tracks in the state: the Matabeleland Turf Club in Bulawayo (the second metropolis) 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 sightseeing industry which is the backbone of Zimbabwe’s casinos will do in the in the years to come. How many of the casinos will carry through till things improve is basically unknown.