Economics and statistics

Lesotho is a small mountain economy, closely integrated with South Africa.

The currency (lots) is tied to the rand, SACU transfers, migration income and fuel/food imports are significant.

Drivers: garment and textile exports, mining (diamonds), agriculture and services; vulnerabilities - weather risks, dependence on external demand and limited infrastructure.

Unemployment and informal employment are high; tourism is niche in nature (eco and mountain routes).

The gambling sector is compact and concentrated offline (casino, PPP, lottery) under licenses; contribution to GDP and employment is moderate, revenue is sensitive to seasonality and the calendar of events.

The payment environment in gambling is predominantly cash, the share of cards and mobile wallets is growing, but merchants are working under enhanced KYC/AML.

The online vertical for residents is not licensed, so market statistics are generated through offline channels and operator reports.

• Macro: GDP (nominal/per capita), inflation, unemployment, SACU transfers in budget revenues, exports/imports, tourist flow and occupancy of accommodation facilities.
• Payments: cash vs cards vs mobile money, non-cash share in entertainment.
• Gambling: GGR/NGR by vertical (casino/betting/lottery), tax burden, number of licenses and jobs, average check, seasonality (months/events), RG metrics (self-exclusion, limits), compliance incidents.