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Sovereign state
Africa
ISO CI

Côte d'Ivoire: gambling regulation and licensing

Republic of Côte d'Ivoire

  • Online sports bettingMonopoly
  • Online casinoMonopoly
  • Online pokerMonopoly
  • Lottery and iLotteryMonopoly
  • Horse race bettingMonopoly
  • Land-based (reference)Regulated
Regulator
Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard
Headline tax
5% GGR
Licence required
Yes
Last verified
15 Oct 2026

Summary

Côte d'Ivoire runs online gambling as a state concession. Law No. 2020-480 of 27 May 2020 grants the Loterie Nationale de Côte d'Ivoire (LONACI), a majority state-owned company, the exclusive right to lotteries, sports and horse betting, virtual betting, online casino games and slots and all online games, through any channel. Decree 2023-945 of 6 December 2023 confirmed the exclusivity, and the government said the same day that conceded games are prohibited to every other operator. Private brands still operate online, but only as partners approved by LONACI under its concession agreement of 5 July 2021: the register of the Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) lists 17 of them, including 1xBet, Betclic and Betway. The ARJH, an independent authority created by the same law, supervises the market, authorises physical casinos, slot halls and promotional lotteries, and may order internet providers to block illegal sites. A surveillance unit, the USSJH, was added inside the ARJH in April 2026. Online partners pay a tax of 5% of net gaming receipts under CGI art. 1150, collected by LONACI, while LONACI pays 7% on its own net product since the 2025 tax annex. Operators also pay a 3% regulation fee to the ARJH, and gambling companies pay corporate income tax at 30%. The legal age is 18, and 21 for casinos and slot halls. The ARJH reports sector turnover of 705.9 billion FCFA in 2024, up from 585.9 billion FCFA in 2023.

Common pitfalls

Reading the ARJH list of online operators as competitive licences: the law makes online gambling a closed LONACI concession, and the private brands operate as LONACI-approved partners. The list also changes: LONACI named 1xBet, Betclic and PremierBet as approved in December 2023, and PremierBet is not on the current ARJH register. Confusing the two gambling taxes: art. 1150 charges online partners 5%, while art. 1149 charges LONACI 7%. Overlooking the 21 age limit for casinos and slot halls.

Key facts

Regulator
Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH)
Regulator type
Dedicated regulator
Headline tax
5% GGR
Licence required
Yes
Minimum age
18+
Tax base
Online operators other than the concessionnaire pay the tax on online games of chance, including sports betting, at 5% of net gaming receipts as defined for CGI art. 1149 (CGI art. 1150): turnover less commissions on the sales network, prizes paid to players and the fees paid to the State and to gaming partners. LONACI itself pays the CGI art. 1149 tax on games of chance on the same net product, raised from 5% to 7% by the 2025 tax annex. The 5% shown is the art. 1150 rate for online partners.
Capital
Yamoussoukro
Currency
XOF
Official languages
French

How to get a gambling licence in Côte d'Ivoire

Online casino and online sports betting in Côte d'Ivoire are state monopolies: only a single state-owned or designated operator is permitted.

The regulator is Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH).

We record 4 licence types for Côte d'Ivoire.

For the Authorisation for promotional, charitable and cultural lotteries, the application fee is XOF 20,000 (as of 6 Dec 2023).

Applications
Closed at present
Local presence
There is no local server requirement.
Headline tax
5% GGR (see Taxation for the full position)

Licence fees in Côte d'Ivoire

Licence typeApplication feeAnnual feeTerm
Authorisation for promotional, charitable and cultural lotteriesStamp of 20,000 FCFA per application; processing fees of 25% of total prize value with a minimum of 200,000 FCFA (flat 200,000 FCFA for charitable and cultural lotteries); financial charge of 2,000,000 FCFA per lottery (Decree 2023-946, arts. 4, 32 and 37)XOF 20,000 (as of 6 Dec 2023)Not yet verifiedPeriod stated in each authorisation

Built from the record on this page, last verified 15 Oct 2026. The Licensing and Taxation sections carry the full detail and sources.

Licensing

Licence required
Yes
Application window
Closed
Local establishment required
Not yet verified
Local server required
No
Active licences
17 (as of 15 Oct 2026)
Notable licensees
Loterie Nationale de Côte d'Ivoire (concessionnaire), Ludus SAS (1xBet), Betclic Côte d'Ivoire SAS, Yellowbet Côte d'Ivoire (Betway), Daci Speed (Betpawa)
Certification requirements
Each online game needs rules approved by joint order of the Economy and Finance and Interior ministers after ARJH advice (Law 2020-480, art. 19). LONACI and other operators must connect to the integrator chosen by the ARJH (Decree 2023-945, art. 11).
Barriers to entry
Online gambling is a closed concession: the law makes LONACI's rights exclusive and not subject to competition (art. 9). Private online brands reach the market only through an approval from LONACI, which the ARJH register then lists. The concession agreement of 5 July 2021 that governs these approvals is not published.

Licence types

  • State concession (LONACI)

    Scope
    Exclusive right to organise lotteries, instant and number games, horse and sports betting, virtual betting, online casino games and slots and all online games, through any channel (Law 2020-480, art. 8)
    Fee basis
    Concession fee to the State on turnover under the concession agreement (art. 64), plus an ARJH regulation fee of 3% of net product (Decree 2023-945, art. 15)
  • LONACI-approved online games and sports betting partner

    Scope
    Private brands offering online sports betting and games under LONACI's concession; the ARJH register lists 17 such companies. They are not separately licensed for competition with LONACI.
    Fee basis
    Pays a fee to LONACI and the CGI art. 1150 tax of 5% of net gaming receipts, collected by LONACI
  • Authorisation for physical casinos and slot machine halls

    Scope
    Land-based casino games and slot machines (Law 2020-480, art. 10); physical slots are reserved to the concessionnaire and authorised casinos
    Fee basis
    Financial charge of 3% of gross turnover payable by 31 July (Decree 2023-946, arts. 34 and 35), plus the 3% ARJH regulation fee (art. 40)
  • Authorisation for promotional, charitable and cultural lotteries

    Scope
    Advertising or promotional lotteries and tombolas, and lotteries for charity, the arts, culture or sport, granted by the ARJH Regulatory Council
    Term
    Period stated in each authorisation
    Application fee
    XOF 20,000 as of 6 Dec 2023
    Fee basis
    Stamp of 20,000 FCFA per application; processing fees of 25% of total prize value with a minimum of 200,000 FCFA (flat 200,000 FCFA for charitable and cultural lotteries); financial charge of 2,000,000 FCFA per lottery (Decree 2023-946, arts. 4, 32 and 37)

Taxation

Headline GGR tax
5% GGR
Effective date
Not yet verified
Corporate tax
30%
Player winnings tax
Prizes distributed by the concessionnaire are excluded from taxable income for the schedular income taxes and the general income tax (Law 2020-480, art. 66).
Withholding mechanism
LONACI collects the art. 1150 tax from online operators established in Côte d'Ivoire and pays it to the tax office by the 15th of each month for the previous month. Operators established abroad without representation must declare and pay it themselves under CGI arts. 437 to 439.
VAT treatment
Lottery tickets and related posters are exempt from stamp duty, and sales, commissions and brokerage on lottery tickets are exempt from turnover taxes (Law 2020-480, art. 65).
Tax base
Online operators other than the concessionnaire pay the tax on online games of chance, including sports betting, at 5% of net gaming receipts as defined for CGI art. 1149 (CGI art. 1150): turnover less commissions on the sales network, prizes paid to players and the fees paid to the State and to gaming partners. LONACI itself pays the CGI art. 1149 tax on games of chance on the same net product, raised from 5% to 7% by the 2025 tax annex. The 5% shown is the art. 1150 rate for online partners.

Earmarked levies

  • ARJH regulation fee (redevance de régulation): 3% of gross turnover for operators (Decree 2023-946, art. 40); 3% of net product for LONACI (Decree 2023-945, art. 15) (Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard)
  • Allocation of the online games tax (CGI art. 1150): 80% State budget, 15% Office national des Sports, 5% ARJH (State budget, Office national des Sports and ARJH)
  • Allocation of the tax on games of chance (CGI art. 1149): 5% State budget, 90% Fonds de la Culture, 5% youth employment and civic service body (State budget, Fonds de la Culture and the body in charge of youth employment and civic service)
  • Concession fee on turnover (State)

Compliance

Minimum age
18+
AML regime
Preventing money laundering and terrorist financing is a stated aim of state gambling policy (Law 2020-480, art. 5). The ARJH audits financial flows in the sector and contributes to anti-money laundering work with other state bodies (art. 24); the financial intelligence unit (CENTIF) sits on its Regulatory Council (Decree 2021-301, art. 7).
Deposit limits
The concessionnaire must provide self-limitation tools for deposits and stakes (Law 2020-480, art. 62).
Session limits
The concessionnaire must provide a self-limitation tool for actual playing time (art. 62).
Central monitoring system
LONACI and other operators must connect to the integrator chosen by the ARJH under a specification to be agreed between the parties (Decree 2023-945, art. 11).
Data localisation
The online concessionnaire must archive in real time, for three years, all data exchanged with each player on physical media located in Côte d'Ivoire or abroad, accessible to ARJH inspectors and judicial police (art. 20).
KYC requirements
Not yet verified
Stake limits
Not yet verified
Mandatory player messaging
The concessionnaire must warn players of the risks of excessive gambling and of the procedure for registering on the Interior Ministry's exclusion lists; the content of the warning is set by joint order of the Interior and Health ministers (art. 62). Every commercial communication by a licensed operator must carry a warning against excessive gambling (art. 63).
Reporting obligations
Annual activity report and certified annual accounts to the ARJH (art. 13); annual report on responsible gambling measures (art. 61); immediate reporting to the ARJH of any suspected manipulation of a sporting competition or event offered for betting (art. 21).

Minimum age by vertical

  • Land-based (reference): 21+

Advertising

Advertising permitted
Yes
Mandatory warnings
A warning against excessive gambling on every commercial communication (art. 63); the wording of player warning messages is set by joint order of the Interior and Health ministers (art. 62).
Penalties for breach
Issuing or distributing commercial communications on gambling that do not comply with the regulations is punished by a fine of 1,000,000 to 10,000,000 FCFA (art. 40).

Restrictions

  • Every commercial communication by a licensed operator must carry a warning against excessive gambling (Law 2020-480, art. 63)
  • Gambling communications and advertising must not target minors (art. 63)
  • The concessionnaire must not send commercial communications to self-excluded account holders or to players on the exclusion lists (art. 63)
  • Advertising the existence of prohibited lotteries is an offence (art. 41)
  • The ARJH and HACA agreed a mandatory prior visa for all gambling advertising, with campaigns submitted to HACA for validation

Enforcement

ISP blocking
Yes
DNS blocking
Not yet verified
Payment blocking
Not yet verified
App store takedowns
Not yet verified
Administrative penalties
After formal notice, confiscation, removal of equipment, restriction of a concession, suspension or withdrawal of authorisation and bans of one to five years (Law 2020-480, art. 35), and financial penalties of up to 3% of the highest turnover of the last three years, 5% on repetition (art. 36).
Criminal penalties
Organising online games of chance without authorisation: one to five years' imprisonment and 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 FCFA (art. 49). Fraudulently organising conceded games: two months to one year and 1,000,000 to 10,000,000 FCFA (art. 43). Manipulating competitions offered for betting: five to ten years and 10,000,000 to 100,000,000 FCFA (art. 51).
Operator liability
Access to an online gambling offer not authorised in Côte d'Ivoire must be blocked; the ARJH may order any internet access provider to block illegal sites provisionally, or redirect users to the concessionnaire's site, with a 15-day right of reply for the site owner (art. 39). Operating without authorisation also exposes the operator to all unpaid duties, taxes and fees for the whole period (art. 38).

Notable actions

  • Illegal physical slot machines28 Aug 2025

    ARJH destroyed 110 illegal slot machines with the economic and financial crimes unit (PPEF) and the criminal asset recovery agency (AGRAC)

  • Illegal slot machines in Odienné2 Apr 2025

    15 slot machines seized by the police prefecture on 19 March 2025 were destroyed

Market data

Figures on this record are drawn from official regulator data.

Online GGR
Not yet verified
Reporting year
2026
Licensed operators
18

Timeline

  1. 27 May 2020

    Law No. 2020-480 on the legal regime of games of chance is signed, creating the ARJH and the LONACI concession; published in the Journal officiel on 15 June 2020

  2. 16 Jun 2021

    Decree No. 2021-301 sets the organisation and functioning of the ARJH

  3. 5 Jul 2021

    Concession agreement concluded between the State and LONACI, under which LONACI approves private online sports betting brands

  4. 6 Dec 2023

    Council of Ministers adopts Decrees 2023-945 (games conceded to LONACI) and 2023-946 (games subject to authorisation) and states that conceded games are prohibited to any other operator

  5. 18 Dec 2023

    Finance Law No. 2023-1000 creates the 5% tax on online games of chance (CGI art. 1150)

  6. 18 Dec 2024

    Finance Law No. 2024-1109 raises the art. 1149 tax to 7% and corporate income tax for gambling companies to 30%

  7. 28 Aug 2025

    ARJH destroys 110 illegal slot machines at Akouédo Attié

  8. 29 Apr 2026

    Decree No. 2026-236 creates the Unité de Surveillance du Secteur des Jeux de Hasard (USSJH) within the ARJH

Outlook

The USSJH created by Decree 2026-236 is being set up inside the ARJH to pursue illegal sites and machines. Operators and LONACI must connect to an ARJH-chosen integrator under Decree 2023-945, and the ARJH and HACA have agreed a prior visa for gambling advertising; the implementing texts for both were not found in the sources checked.

Frequently asked questions

Can a private operator obtain its own online gambling licence in Côte d'Ivoire?
No. Law 2020-480 concedes online gambling exclusively to LONACI and closes it to competition. Private brands operate only as partners approved by LONACI; the ARJH register lists 17 such online operators.
Who regulates gambling in Côte d'Ivoire?
The Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH), an independent administrative authority created by Law 2020-480. Since April 2026 it has a surveillance unit, the USSJH, for investigations and seizures.
How are online gambling operators taxed?
Operators other than LONACI pay 5% of net gaming receipts under CGI art. 1150, collected by LONACI by the 15th of each month, plus a 3% regulation fee to the ARJH and corporate income tax at 30%. Foreign operators without local representation must declare and pay the 5% tax themselves.
What is the minimum gambling age?
18, and 21 for entry to casinos and slot machine halls (Law 2020-480, art. 59).
Can illegal gambling websites be blocked?
Yes. The ARJH may order internet access providers to block illegal gambling sites provisionally, or to redirect users to LONACI's site, and the site owner has 15 days to respond (art. 39).
How much does a gambling licence cost in Côte d'Ivoire?
For the Authorisation for promotional, charitable and cultural lotteries, the application fee is XOF 20,000 (as of 6 Dec 2023). The Licensing section lists all 4 licence types recorded for Côte d'Ivoire. Last verified 15 Oct 2026.

Glossary and directory

Sources

Source tiers. Tier 1: the law, official gazette, licence register or regulator itself. Tier 2: other official sources such as ministries, parliaments, courts and statistics agencies. Only tier 1 and tier 2 sources can support a fact on their own.

  1. Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 15 Jun 2020
  2. Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 16 Jun 2021
  3. Decree No. 2023-945 of 6 December 2023 on the regime of games conceded to the Loterie Nationale de Côte d'Ivoire

    Présidence de la République (certified copy published by LONACI) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 6 Dec 2023
  4. Decree No. 2023-946 of 6 December 2023 on the legal regime of games of chance subject to authorisation

    Présidence de la République (certified copy published by LONACI) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 6 Dec 2023
  5. Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 29 Apr 2026
  6. Regulation (official texts on games of chance and LONACI)

    Loterie Nationale de Côte d'Ivoire (LONACI) (translated)

    Tier 2Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  7. Founding texts (list of the law and decrees governing the ARJH and the sector)

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  8. ARJH home page (leadership and news)

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  9. Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  10. Games market (sector turnover and licensed operators)

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Counts 18 online games and sports betting operators including LONACI, which the operators page lists separately as the concessionnaire alongside 17 private online operators.

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  11. Game offer (games under the concession and authorisation regimes)

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  12. Operator FAQ

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  13. Gambling bans (voluntary and imposed exclusion, minimum ages)

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  14. Fighting the illegal offer

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  15. Online games: fighting misleading advertising (ARJH and HACA working session)

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  16. The ARJH destroys more than a hundred physical slot machines

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 28 Aug 2025
  17. Fight against illicit games (destruction of slot machines in Odienné)

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 2 Apr 2025
  18. Decisions (authorisations of promotional lotteries and tombolas)

    Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  19. Communiqué of the Council of Ministers of Wednesday 6 December 2023

    Gouvernement de Côte d'Ivoire (gouv.ci) (translated)

    Tier 2Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 6 Dec 2023
  20. LONACI communiqué of 8 December 2023 on the decree on games conceded to LONACI

    Loterie Nationale de Côte d'Ivoire (LONACI) (translated)

    Names 1xBet, Betclic and PremierBet as approved online sports betting brands; the current ARJH register lists 1xBet and Betclic but not PremierBet. The record uses the ARJH register for current operators.

    Tier 2Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 8 Dec 2023
  21. Casino Cash (LONACI online casino product)

    Loterie Nationale de Côte d'Ivoire (LONACI) (translated)

    Tier 2Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  22. Tax annex to Finance Law No. 2023-1000 of 18 December 2023 for 2024, art. 4 (CGI art. 1150, tax on online games of chance)

    Ministère des Finances et du Budget (copy hosted by the Ordre des Experts-Comptables de Côte d'Ivoire) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 18 Dec 2023
  23. Tax annex to Finance Law No. 2024-1109 of 18 December 2024 for 2025, arts. 22, 23 and 39

    Direction Générale du Budget et des Finances (dgbf.ci) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 18 Dec 2024
  24. Tax on games of chance (CGI art. 1149) declaration form

    Direction Générale des Impôts (translated)

    The form shows the art. 1149 rate as 5%; the 2025 tax annex replaced 5% with 7%. The record uses the 2025 annex for the rate and the form only for the definition of net product.

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026

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This page is industry reference information and not legal advice.

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