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Two of the French-speaking jurisdictions within the Congo Basin, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), have simultaneously embarked upon devising gambling regulation. Following years of relying upon aged legislation, which monopolised the operation of gambling to state-owned entities, the Congolese market is finally liberalising.
The bigger picture
In the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), COGELO SA (Congo Lottery Management Company) has held the monopoly to offer betting, horse race betting and lottery products. However, in May 2024, the Council of Ministers its intention to regulate the gambling industry by introducing a draft law to regulate games of chance and gambling. The council highlighted the rise of gambling as a genuine economic activity due to its significant tax revenue-generating potential, but also reiterated the risk of exposure to organised crime. Another bill establishing the gambling regulatory authority was also introduced, tasking the authority to be responsible for supervising the online gaming sector, to minimise the risk of money laundering and possible financing of acts that could undermine the internal and external security of the country.
This resulted in the adoption of by the Senate in December 2024.
Articles 7 and 26 of the have introduced four categories of gambling, with each gambling product falling under the following regimes:
- Public monopoly of horse betting and racing, lotteries and scratch card games, held by .
- The authorisation system, which is applicable to land-based and online sports betting, land-based and online casinos, virtual games and slot machines.
- The operating licence regime, applicable to natural or legal persons seeking to operate land-based casinos, virtual games and slot machines.
- The special authorisation system, applicable to natural or legal persons seeking to organise occasional tombolas.
Additionally, , published in the official gazette dated April 24, 2025, establishes the Gambling Regulatory Authority in the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), to carry out the tasks of regulating, controlling, monitoring and
evaluating the regulated gambling sectors. The (page 67) has specified taxes ranging from 10 percent of GGR to 15 percent of GGR, for different categories of gambling products.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the current regime in place gives state-owned the monopoly to organise all forms of gambling within the territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, , also authorises SONAL the power to gaming operating licences to entities within the legal rules defined by SONAL and the .
As specified in Article 4 of the , under the direct form of monopoly, the organisation of lottery operations, sports prediction competitions and other bets is restricted to SONAL, in which the Congolese state holds 60 percent of the shares. Under the indirect form of monopoly, an authorised private legal entity can enter into a partnership with SONAL, for the permanent and/or occasional operation of games of chance, lotteries and betting of all kinds (Articles 5 and 6 of the ).
However, in May 2024, a government press release that the Ministry of Finance had undertaken a project to reform the country鈥檚 gambling sector. The report highlighted the absence of a clear and unified regulatory framework governing the industry and the existence of a multitude of illegal gaming companies. Additionally, the industry has been found to be susceptible to money laundering and terrorism financing, and also lacks provisions related to the protection of minors. Therefore, the lack of a proper gambling regulatory framework is one of the reasons why the DRC has on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF鈥檚) of 鈥渏urisdictions under increased monitoring鈥 since October 2022. In April 2025, the ministry鈥檚 project culminated into the approval of a , which aims to:
- Regulate the operation of gambling, ensuring that these activities take place within a strict legal framework, with precise rules for operators and well-defined operating conditions.
- Protect minors and vulnerable players.
- Establish a common law tax regime, with specific taxes on winnings and gross gaming revenue.
Why Should You Care?
The back-end of last year saw significant regulatory movement across not only the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) and the Democratic Republic of Congo, but several other African countries including Rwanda, Angola and Liberia. The regulatory regime on the continent is showing signs of diversification, away from the mature markets of South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana.
As gambling proliferation, both legal and illegal, across various jurisdictions on the continent continues at pace, regulation is quickly developing behind it. The proliferation of gambling offers jurisdictions in Africa an opportunity to increase revenue collection, improve industry oversight, and improve enforcement capabilities through adequate regulations.
Additionally, as digital penetration also increases, so too does the threat from illegal online gambling, further spurring jurisdictions to take action to protect consumers and potential state revenue.
Another key theme amongst African regulators is the willingness to cooperate on a wide range of issues. Businesses that stay up to date with regulatory changes, as well as engage with local regulators and state bodies responsible for them, have a greater opportunity to participate in consultations on new regulations and position themselves well for new market opportunities.
With the European market being saturated and the Brazilian market slowly edging towards maturation, the next big opportunity is in Africa, particularly in jurisdictions such as the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which are moving away from a monopolised to a competitive regime.
The simultaneous regulatory movement in the two Congolese markets presents a lucrative opportunity for businesses and the regulatory authorities alike to generate significant revenue. At the same time, the emergence of a regulated gambling industry in the region has the potential to serve the penchant of millions of Congolese players, for sports betting in particular, while ensuring socially responsible gambling practices. A competitive tax regime in the Republic of Congo may also help attract operators to the market.
Keeping tabs on such new markets is of paramount importance to competitive businesses in ensuring first-mover advantages. Operators can stay ahead of regulatory changes, reduce risk exposure and devise their player protection and money laundering policies in advance to ensure that they鈥檙e compliant with the regulatory framework in the Congolese markets. Proactive adaptation will support both business sustainability and a responsible gambling environment.
