A suspected illegal gambling and fraud network has grown so large in Eswatini that the court handling the case can no longer fit everyone involved. Authorities arrested 146 foreign nationals over the past month, and early hearings at Mbabane Magistrates’ Court were so crowded that officials began looking for a bigger venue for the case.
Most of those arrested are from Asia, including China, the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan. A smaller number are from Brazil. Reports from the first hearings said supporters of the accused were left standing outside, prompting discussion in court about moving the proceedings and separating male and female defendants during appearances.
Police say hotels were turned into gambling and fraud hubs
Eswatini police say the suspects were running an online gambling network alongside a fraud operation. Investigators believe the activity was aimed at people outside Eswatini, not local users. In almost all cases, those arrested are also suspected of entering the country illegally.
During the raids, police found hotel rooms that had been converted into makeshift call centres and workstations filled with computers and mobile phones. One room was reportedly set up to look like a police station, apparently to convince victims they were speaking with real law enforcement officials.
This suggests the case goes beyond illegal gambling. It points to a mix of betting, fraud and impersonation tactics that authorities in other regions have linked to organised scam compounds.
Case also points to a wider cross-border trend
The Eswatini proceedings have drawn attention because they echo concerns raised elsewhere, especially in Southeast Asia, where scam operations have often been linked to former casinos and hotel compounds. Amnesty International said in a June 2025 report that it identified 53 scam compounds in Cambodia, with more than half linked to casinos.
Amnesty later said 12 casinos approved by Cambodia’s gambling regulator between December 2025 and January 2026 were operating as scam compounds. It said alleged human rights abuses had been documented at those sites.
Trial will test how Eswatini handles a case of this size
The trial of the 146 accused is due to begin on June 12. For Eswatini, the immediate issue is practical as much as legal: finding a courtroom large enough to handle one of the biggest gambling-linked criminal cases the country has faced. The larger question is whether the case marks a one-off operation or a sign that cross-border gambling and fraud networks are spreading into new jurisdictions in Southern Africa.
