Gabon’s new state-controlled gambling system faces growing questions over licensing delays, operator fees and payment oversight, months after previous authorisations expired.

Gabon’s gambling industry is facing uncertainty as the country transitions towards a state-controlled monopoly system, with questions emerging over licensing procedures, financial obligations and the supervision of private operators.

More than six months after previous gambling authorisations expired, the state-owned La Gabonaise des Jeux (GDJ) has yet to publicly announce the results of its selection process for private online betting operators.

The company has also not disclosed which businesses have received approval to operate under the new framework or the financial conditions attached to their participation.

The reform was introduced to strengthen government control over gambling activities, improve the traceability of financial transactions and increase public revenue.

However, the limited information available about its implementation has raised concerns among operators and lawmakers.

Licensing process remains unclear

In February 2026, the GDJ launched a call for expressions of interest from private gambling companies seeking authorisation to operate in Gabon.

Applications closed on 2 March, with the state-owned company promising a transparent and competitive selection process.

Applicants were required to demonstrate sufficient technical, financial and organisational capacity.

They also had to comply with requirements covering responsible gambling, the protection of minors, anti-money laundering measures and operational security.

Under the new framework, all previous gambling authorisations, licences and declarations became invalid on 7 April 2026.

The deadline was established in an official GDJ notice signed by director general Roméo Nguema Ondo.

However, as of 16 October, the company had not publicly confirmed which operators had successfully completed the selection process.

This does not necessarily mean that no licences have been issued. Some companies may have received private authorisations or be operating under transitional arrangements.

Nevertheless, the absence of a published list leaves uncertainty over which businesses are permitted to operate and under what conditions.

Gabon replaces previous licensing model

Gabon, a Central African country with approximately 2.65 million inhabitants, has gradually revised its gambling legislation over recent years.

Online betting was formally incorporated into the country's legal framework through Ordinance 0012/PR/2020, which was subsequently ratified with amendments in February 2021.

Under that system, online betting companies were classified as third-category operators and could obtain renewable five-year declarations.

A decree introduced in May 2022 limited the number of authorised online gambling operators to five nationwide for a three-year period.

The latest reform represents a more substantial restructuring of the industry.

On 29 December 2025, Gabon's Council of Ministers approved a new gambling framework, followed by Ordinances 0010/PR/2025 and 0011/PR/2025, dated 30 December.

The legislation abolished the previous gaming commission and its technical secretariat.

In their place, the government established the GDJ as a state-owned company responsible for organising, operating and controlling gambling activities, while also supervising private operators.

This structure places both commercial and regulatory responsibilities within the same organisation.

Lawmakers question regulatory independence

The GDJ's dual role has attracted attention during parliamentary discussions about the reform.

Lawmakers have questioned whether a state-owned company involved in commercial gambling operations can independently supervise private competitors.

The concern centres on the potential conflict between generating revenue through gambling activities and enforcing rules across the wider industry.

During parliamentary scrutiny in 2026, then-interior minister Adrien Nguema Mba defended the reform, stating that control mechanisms would separate regulatory oversight from the GDJ's commercial activities.

Speaking before a Senate committee in June, he described the changes as a sovereign decision intended to restore state control over the gambling sector.

The government has also outlined plans to establish approximately 2,000 gambling points of sale across Gabon's nine provinces.

According to Nguema Mba, one of the main objectives is to ensure that gambling-related financial transactions can be fully monitored by the state.

The GDJ held its first board meeting on 7 August 2026, approving its strategic plan, budgets and internal operating rules.

However, publicly available information has not yet explained in detail how the company will maintain separation between its commercial interests and supervisory responsibilities.

Payment processing arrangements raise questions

Another area of uncertainty concerns the companies responsible for managing gambling-related payments.

In May 2025, local publication Gabon Media Time reported that eTech SAS had been selected to centralise financial transactions within the gambling industry.

The appointment reportedly took place without a competitive tender, prompting criticism from local technology companies that said they had been excluded from the process.

Then-interior minister Hermann Immongault defended the decision, describing it as a lawful and transparent arrangement under a public-private partnership.

He also indicated that eTech would eventually become fully state-owned.

The government's objective was to replace a system in which gambling operators declared their own revenue and paid taxes based on those declarations.

According to Immongault, the previous model allowed operators to declare their own figures and pay an 8% tax, which the government considered insufficiently reliable.

Centralising payment processing was therefore presented as a way to improve financial oversight and reduce potential revenue losses.

However, a further development in June 2026 raised questions about how the system would operate.

Gabon Media Time reported that Paymetrust had signed an agreement with the GDJ to centralise and supervise online betting payments through a platform connected to mobile-money services and banking networks.

The GDJ has not publicly clarified how Paymetrust's reported responsibilities relate to eTech's earlier mandate.

As a result, the precise division of responsibilities between the two companies remains unclear.

Operators concerned about rising costs

Beyond the licensing process, private gambling companies have raised concerns about the financial requirements associated with the new system.

In June, Gabonese newspaper l'Union reported that operators were still waiting for definitive licences, operating agreements and technical specifications.

The report also highlighted concerns over the possibility of requiring separate licences for different gambling activities and operating locations.

Additional issues included higher costs for depositing and withdrawing funds, delays in paying customer winnings and difficulties reconciling financial transactions.

The publication cited an estimated monthly deduction equivalent to 30% of turnover, although the final commercial terms have not been publicly confirmed.

Such charges could have a substantial impact on operators' profitability, depending on how they are calculated and applied.

The distinction between turnover, gambling revenue and other financial measures is particularly important when assessing the potential cost of operating under the new framework.

Without published licensing agreements or detailed fee schedules, operators have limited public information on the financial obligations they may face.

Government expects higher gambling revenue

One of the main objectives behind Gabon's gambling reform is to increase the revenue collected by the state.

The country's initial 2026 Finance Law projected CFA1.24 billion, approximately $2.1 million, in revenue from gambling taxes.

However, that forecast does not provide a breakdown of licensing fees, transaction charges or potential revenue-sharing agreements between the GDJ and private operators.

It therefore remains difficult to determine how much revenue the new framework could generate beyond existing gambling taxes.

The government has argued that stronger oversight and centralised payment processing will improve the collection of gambling-related revenue.

For private operators, however, the financial sustainability of the system will depend on the final licensing conditions and the costs associated with payment processing.

The lack of published information also makes it difficult to compare Gabon's new framework with other regulated gambling markets.

Transparency remains central to reform

Gabon's restructuring of its gambling industry reflects a broader ambition to strengthen state involvement in the sector.

The creation of the GDJ, the introduction of a new licensing process and the centralisation of financial transactions are intended to give authorities greater control over gambling activities.

However, several important questions remain unanswered.

The GDJ has not publicly identified the operators approved under the new system, explained the final licensing fees or clarified the relationship between companies involved in payment processing.

Questions also remain over how regulatory supervision will be separated from the GDJ's own commercial operations.

For operators considering investment in Gabon, these details are essential to understanding the legal and financial conditions of market participation.

The reform's effectiveness will ultimately depend not only on the government's ability to monitor gambling activity and collect revenue, but also on whether the new system provides clear and consistent rules for private businesses.

Until the GDJ publishes further information, uncertainty surrounding licensing, payments and regulatory oversight is likely to remain a central issue for Gabon's gambling industry.

Source: IGamingBusiness