Eswatini’s investigation into illegal online gambling has developed into a wider organised crime and international fraud case, with police examining alleged links to public officials, cryptocurrency transactions and scam operations targeting victims overseas.
The Royal Eswatini Police Service has told the High Court that evidence recovered from seized electronic devices indicates the network extended well beyond unlicensed gambling. Investigators are examining more than 400 devices with support from INTERPOL, according to court documents cited by iGamingBusiness.
The investigation traces back to a series of raids launched in March 2026 around Mbabane. Police operations eventually resulted in the arrest of 146 foreign nationals from countries including China, Taiwan, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Cambodia. Local reporting said several properties were being used as organised bases for online gambling and fraud activity.
Gambling raids expose larger fraud network
Investigators say forensic analysis of seized phones and computers revealed evidence of an organised operation targeting people in Brazil and India while running illegal online gambling platforms from Eswatini.
Police allege that money generated through the operation was pooled and converted primarily into the USDT cryptocurrency before moving through financial institutions in Abu Dhabi and the United States and eventually returning to Eswatini. Messages recovered from Telegram and WhatsApp are also being examined for potential connections between the suspected network and politicians, police personnel and immigration officials.
One of the key locations was Castle Hotel in Mbabane, which investigators believe functioned as an operational centre. Other suspected hubs were later discovered in Hawane, Woodlands and central Mbabane. Authorities found rooms equipped as call centres and digital workstations, alongside significant amounts of cash.
INTERPOL separately confirmed that its Operation First Light 2026 included an Eswatini case in which 82 people were arrested and 240 electronic devices were seized. The international police organisation said the network was involved in illegal online gambling, money laundering and impersonation fraud.
Fake Brazilian police facility used in scams
Investigators also uncovered a realistic replica of a Brazilian police facility, complete with fake uniforms, official-style equipment and signage.
According to INTERPOL, members of the network impersonated Brazil’s Federal Police during video calls and convinced targets that they had become involved in criminal investigations. Victims were then persuaded to transfer funds supposedly for safekeeping, after which the money was stolen.
Around 40 Brazilian victims were linked to the Eswatini operation, according to the investigation cited by iGB. Police also recovered a bulletproof vest, radios and a Brazilian Federal Police badge from the suspected operation.
The Eswatini investigation forms part of a much broader international campaign. INTERPOL said Operation First Light, conducted between January and April 2026 across 97 countries and territories, resulted in 5,811 arrests and the interception of $293 million in illicit assets. More than 142,000 potential fraud victims were identified globally.
Gambling licensing system faces mounting pressure
The growing investigation has also intensified scrutiny of Eswatini’s gambling regulatory system.
National Commissioner of Police Vusi Manoma Masango recommended in June that the government temporarily stop issuing gambling licences while the investigation remains active. Authorities are concerned that additional licences could provide further opportunities for criminal organisations to enter the market.
Lawmakers had already raised similar concerns before the raids. Eswatini’s Gaming Control Act was adopted in 2022, but detailed regulations required for its full implementation remain under development. The Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs has since stopped accepting new licence applications while allowing four existing licences to continue under tighter supervision.
The case has also reached parliament, where lawmakers have requested further investigation into whether properties belonging to politicians or other influential figures may have been rented to people connected with illegal gambling operations.
Police are continuing forensic examinations of seized devices and expect to issue a broader report once that process is completed. The evidence gathered so far has transformed what began as an illegal gambling and immigration crackdown into one of Eswatini’s most significant investigations involving cyber-enabled fraud, money laundering and transnational organised crime.