Is online gambling legal in Burundi?

Only play with operators explicitly licensed by LONA, which has no public online register. The tax status of player winnings has not been confirmed, so do not assume any specific rate applies.

Online gambling is not regulated here (sports betting legal; online poker grey/partial; online casino are illegal). Offshore sites are reachable, but if something goes wrong you may have no one to complain to.

Online sports betting is legal on sites licensed in Burundi. Online casino is banned in Burundi. Online poker is not regulated: no Burundi licence exists for it, and sites offering it operate without one. The lottery is legal on sites licensed in Burundi.

Using a VPN to reach gambling sites from Burundi: Legal.

Gambling with crypto: Banned.

You must be 18 to gamble online in Burundi, for online casino, sports betting and lottery alike.

Claims of a 15% withholding tax on player winnings are unsubstantiated and could not be verified in any official government or regulatory publications.

There are approximately 9 licensed operators in Burundi as of 8 Oct 2026.

Always verify a casino holds a valid Loterie Nationale du Burundi (LONA) licence before depositing.

Loterie Nationale du Burundi (LONA)'s website

Prominent operators in Burundi

If a site isn't on the regulator's licensee register, ask the regulator before you play: an unlisted site is usually not licensed here (a register can lag behind a new licence). An unlicensed site is outside the regulator's supervision, so you cannot complain to the regulator about it.

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  Verify the operator has a LONA license

  Only play with operators explicitly licensed by the Loterie Nationale du Burundi (LONA). While LONA does not have a public online register, licensed operators are sometimes announced in news reports.

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  Avoid all cryptocurrency gambling sites

  The government of Burundi has banned cryptocurrency trading. Any site that accepts or pays out in crypto is operating illegally and offers no consumer protection.

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  Be aware of the unclear legal status

  Online gambling is technically illegal under the 2008 Penal Code, even though some sites are licensed. This grey market status means player protections may be limited.

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  Understand there is no official dispute service

  LONA does not provide a formal, public Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service for players. If you have a dispute with an operator, your options for recourse are extremely limited.

What you can expect from a licensed site's offers in Burundi. The rules operators must follow are on the operator page.

We have no record of a national self-exclusion scheme or problem-gambling helpline in Burundi. The law does not require licensed sites to offer deposit limits. Reality checks (reminders of how long you have played) are not required.

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   1. Contact the operator directly

   The first step in any dispute is to contact the customer support of the licensed gambling operator. You should provide all relevant details of your complaint, including dates, transaction IDs, and screenshots.

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   2. Escalate to the Loterie Nationale du Burundi (LONA)

   If you cannot resolve the issue with the operator, you can escalate the complaint to the regulator, LONA. However, there is no formal, publicly documented dispute resolution process or dedicated portal, so resolution is not guaranteed.

• Myth

  All online betting is legal in Burundi.
  Reality

  This is incorrect. Online gambling operates in a grey market. While the national regulator, LONA, has licensed some sports betting sites, the 2008 Penal Code technically makes most online gambling illegal. Enforcement against players is lax, but the legal status is ambiguous.

• Myth

  My gambling winnings will be taxed at 15%.
  Reality

  The tax status of player winnings has not been confirmed. While there are rumors of a 15% withholding tax, this has not been confirmed by any government or regulatory source. You should not assume any specific tax rate applies.

• Myth

  It's safe to gamble with cryptocurrency.
  Reality

  This is false and illegal. The government of Burundi has banned all cryptocurrency trading. Therefore, any platform offering crypto-based gambling is operating outside the law, and you risk losing your funds.