Betting in Ethiopia went from a fast-growing industry to a full shutdown in less than a year. Until late 2025, dozens of licensed operators ran shops and websites, and players topped up their accounts with telebirr and bank wallets. In December 2025 the regulator revoked every sports-betting licence, and as of October 2026 no operator holds one.
This guide sets out the rules as they stood, what changed in 2025–2026 and what the announced relaunch may bring. We have used only official texts and reputable reporting, and we say so where a source is weaker. Nothing here is legal advice; if you have a dispute with an operator, talk to a lawyer.
Is online betting legal in Ethiopia?
Online betting in Ethiopia was legal only through operators licensed by the national lottery regulator. On 15 December 2025 the Ethiopian Lottery Service (ELS) revoked all sports-betting licences – online, retail and agents. In July 2026 it stated publicly that no sports-betting operator is licensed in the country and warned people not to deposit money through websites, apps, agents or social-media pages.
So the short answer for 2026 is that there is no licensed sports-betting operator in Ethiopia. Any website or app that tells you otherwise is describing, at best, its situation before December 2025.
Who regulates betting in Ethiopia
Lotteries and sports betting are supervised by the Ethiopian Lottery Service (የኢትዮጵያ ሎተሪ አገልግሎት), whose website is els.gov.et. Its former name, the National Lottery Administration (NLA), appears on the directives of 2021 and 2022 and still turns up in court reports and press coverage; we could not find the date of the rename. According to the ELS, the institution dates back to a 1961 proclamation and was re-established by a proclamation in 2007.
The regulator also sells its own lottery products, such as the Admas digital lottery available through telebirr, and in April 2025 it reportedly launched a digital platform with draws and virtual games. We found no public register of betting licensees – a question that is currently moot, since none exist.
The rules before the ban: Directives 172/2021 and 856/2014
Two directives defined how Ethiopian betting worked in its licensed period. Both are effectively dormant now, but they show what a future framework is likely to build on.
Directive 172/2021
The Sport Betting Lottery Directive No. 172/2021 came into force on 1 September 2021, when 42 operators were re-licensed. It raised the minimum age from 18 to 21 and set strict financial terms: a licence fee of ETB 500,000, a renewal fee of ETB 100,000, a bank guarantee of ETB 1,500,000, a commission of 15% of ticket revenue to the regulator, a social contribution of 0.5% of revenue (down from 20%) and a maximum prize of ETB 1,000,000 per single bet.
Directive 856/2014
The Sports Betting Lottery Licensing Directive No. 856/2014 was issued by the NLA on 26 December 2022 and is the latest published directive. The number uses the Ethiopian calendar, which runs seven to eight years behind the Gregorian one. Its main rules:
- only persons aged 21 and over may bet (Article 10);
- a bank guarantee of ETB 1,500,000, a maximum prize of ETB 1,000,000 per single bet, winning tickets valid for 30 days and refunds when an event is cancelled (Article 9);
- 15% of gross ticket sales paid to the regulator monthly (Article 11) and 0.5% of gross revenue to social causes (Article 13);
- bans on betting by under-21s, on betting in grocery shops, bars and restaurants, on betting shops within 500 metres of schools and religious institutions, and on accepting bets from students in school uniform (Article 16).
Age limit, winnings tax and prize cap
| Rule | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 21 years | Directive 172/2021; Directive 856/2014, Articles 10 and 16 |
| Tax on winnings | 20%, withheld by the operator (previously 15%) | Income Tax (Amendment) Proclamation No. 1395/2025, approved 17 July 2025 |
| Maximum prize per single bet | ETB 1,000,000 | Directive 856/2014, Article 9 |
| Validity of a winning ticket | 30 days | Directive 856/2014, Article 9 |
Under the old regime the 15% tax applied to sports-betting prizes of ETB 1,000 and above. We could not confirm whether a threshold applies under the 2025 proclamation, so treat any winning as taxable unless the operator shows otherwise.
Timeline: Ethiopian betting from 2019 to 2026
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2019–2020 | According to ENA, licensing of new betting houses is paused; 43 are licensed, 30 of them operating. |
| 1 September 2021 | Directive 172/2021 takes effect; 42 operators are re-licensed and the minimum age rises to 21. |
| December 2022 | The NLA closes 20 shops running unauthorised virtual games and states that virtual betting games are not separately licensable. |
| 26 December 2022 | Directive 856/2014 is issued. |
| 2023/24 | Addis Ababa's Peace and Security Administration Bureau bans betting houses in the city; 4,118 are reportedly closed in that fiscal year, and play moves online. |
| 17 July 2025 | Proclamation 1395/2025 is approved; tax on winnings from games of chance rises to 20%. |
| November 2025 | The National Intelligence and Security Service arrests 24 owners and associates of betting firms over alleged concealment of more than ETB 100 billion in revenue; all are reportedly released by late January 2026. |
| 4 December 2025 | The ELS suspends 22 sports-betting licences, including Betika, Vamos and Hulu Sport. |
| 15 December 2025 | The ELS revokes all sports-betting licences. Banks, payment instrument issuers and payment system operators are ordered to block betting transactions; operators must stop deposits, take no bets, preserve data and settle customer balances. |
| February 2026 | At a parliamentary hearing, State Minister Mekiyu Mohammed calls permanent blocking "impossible" and asks for a legal framework. |
| 3 July 2026 | According to iGaming Business, the Federal Sport Development and Management Proclamation No. 1413/2026 is gazetted without its disputed betting clause. |
| July 2026 | The ELS states that no sports-betting operator is licensed and asks the public to report illegal betting to SMS short code 9695. |
| 6 August 2026 | The Government Communication Service announces action against 38 betting enterprises for tax evasion, hidden revenue and illicit transfers. |
| September 2026 | The ELS is reported to be preparing a strict relaunch of sports betting and digital lotteries. A draft audit for July 2023 – December 2025 finds ETB 199 billion handled and a shortfall of ETB 27.5 billion. No rules or dates have been published as of early October 2026. |
Ethiopian betting after the shutdown: the planned relaunch
The scale of what was switched off is large. Industry estimates put daily betting turnover before the shutdown at ETB 800 million to 1 billion, although no official figure exists. Since then the debate has moved from closing the market to rebuilding it under tighter control.
In September 2026 the ELS was reported to be preparing a relaunch covering both sports betting and digital lotteries. No licensing directive, application window or start date has been published, and we will not guess one. One operator, Hulu Sport, reportedly won a first-instance case against its suspension, but the regulator appealed and obtained a stay, so its shops and website stayed closed. When new rules appear, we will update this guide and re-check every brand in our ranking of betting sites in Ethiopia.
What happened to player balances
The December 2025 order told operators to settle customer balances. In practice, brands communicated differently: some posted suspension notices asking customers to wait, and AfroSports publicly promised to keep wallet balances safe until it returns. If you still have money on a closed site, keep screenshots of your balance and of any messages from the operator, and use only the contacts listed in the brand's official channels. Be careful with anyone offering to "recover" a balance for a fee.
How to avoid betting scams in Ethiopia
A closed market attracts fraud. Watch for these common patterns:
- Clone domains. Look-alike .et, .com and .bet addresses copy a brand's name and colours. Some are review sites, others imitate the brand to collect deposits or personal data.
- Telegram "agents". People presenting themselves as agents may offer to top up your account or place bets for you in exchange for a transfer to their personal wallet. The ELS specifically warned against depositing through agents and social-media pages.
- Fake support. Real support never asks for your wallet PIN or a one-time code. Do not share them with anyone.
- Unofficial apps. APK files passed around in groups can contain malware. If you install anything, take it only from the brand's own domain.
- Old licence badges. A footer that cites a national lottery licence number reflects, at best, the period before December 2025.
Illegal betting can be reported to the ELS via SMS short code 9695; note that this number is for reports, not a help line. If betting is causing you problems, see our responsible gambling page, and for how payments to betting sites worked, our guide to betting payments in Ethiopia.
Online betting Ethiopia FAQ
Is online betting legal in Ethiopia in 2026?
No operator is licensed. The Ethiopian Lottery Service revoked all sports-betting licences on 15 December 2025 and confirmed in July 2026 that no licensed operator exists.
Who regulates Ethiopian betting?
The Ethiopian Lottery Service (ELS), formerly the National Lottery Administration (NLA). Its official website is els.gov.et.
What is the legal betting age in Ethiopia?
21. Directive 172/2021 raised it from 18, and Directive 856/2014 kept it.
How much tax is paid on betting winnings in Ethiopia?
20%, withheld by the operator, under Income Tax (Amendment) Proclamation No. 1395/2025. Before that the rate was 15%.
When will betting in Ethiopia reopen?
A relaunch of sports betting and digital lotteries was reported in September 2026, but no rules or dates had been published by early October 2026.