Current rule

15% final withholding on winnings

Malawi’s Taxation (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2025 introduced a 15% withholding tax on betting, gambling and lottery winnings. The Malawi Revenue Authority says the measure took effect on 30 December 2025, removed the previous tax-free thresholds and treats the withholding as final tax.

Tax rules can change. Use the amount and tax shown on the current operator transaction or statement, and seek qualified advice for personal tax questions.

What it means

Gross promotional prizes are not the same as net receipts

A headline winner amount may be quoted before withholding or under rules that applied at the time. Do not use an old promotional story to estimate what a current player will receive.

  • Check whether a displayed figure is stake, return, winnings or payout.
  • Keep the operator’s settlement and withholding record.
  • Do not rely on USD conversions; MWK exchange rates move.
Primary sources

Verify the current measure

The two primary references used for this page are the Malawi Revenue Authority’s new-tax-measures notice and the Taxation (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2025.

MRA notice ↗Amendment Act ↗
Records

Keep settlement evidence

Save the date, stake, result, gross amount, tax withheld and net amount shown by the operator. If a number does not reconcile, ask operator support for a transaction statement before escalating a complaint.

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