Ethiopian Lottery Service (EthioLottery)
ethiolottery.et
🇪🇹For operators · Tax, marketing & compliance
Ethiopia for operators: illegal to offer
Ethiopia has no online gambling licence: sports betting is licensable only at land branches, all 22 licensees have been suspended since 4 December 2025, and the lottery is the state ELS's monopoly, sold online by the ELS itself, while offshore sites serve Ethiopian players in Amharic.
Product by product
There is no online licence of any kind: sports betting is licensable only at ELS-recognised land branches, and the lottery, instant games and modern bingo are a state monopoly.| Product | Status | Licensed by | Tax | Key restriction | Advertising |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports betting (land-based branches) | Limited | Ethiopian Lottery Service (ELS), Directive 856/2014 | 15% commission on gross ticket sales; 20% winnings tax withheld from players | Branches only, age 21, ETB 1,500,000 guarantee; all 22 licences suspended on 4 Dec 2025 | Gambling ads are banned in every medium; whether betting ads count as gambling or as a licensed lottery is unsettled |
| Online sports betting | Banned | None; no licence class exists | — | No online or app licence. Offshore sites (1xBet, MelBet, BetWinner) serve Ethiopian players in Amharic, some through mirror domains (observed 30 Oct 2026); no ELS statement on them found | Advertising of gambling is prohibited in every medium |
| Online casino and slots | Banned | None | — | Not a licensable class; unlicensed internet chance activity is to be controlled and stopped | As for Online sports betting |
| Poker | Banned | None | — | Not among the games the law defines or allows to be licensed | As for Online sports betting |
| Lottery, instant games and modern bingo | State monopoly | ELS only (it also sells online at ethiolottery.et) | 20% winnings tax withheld from players | Reserved to the state; partners only for lotto and toto, by authorisation | An authorised organiser may advertise if it shows its permit, the prize and the draw details |
Decided4 Dec 2025ELS suspension of all sports-betting licences
Can I get a sports-betting licence in Ethiopia now?
On 4 December 2025 the Ethiopian Lottery Service announced that the licences of 22 sports-betting companies were suspended from 25 Hidar 2018 (the Ethiopian-calendar date) until a criminal investigation is completed. Its notice records that owners of the betting companies and their associates were arrested on suspicion of concealing over ETB 100 billion of government revenue. Press reports say the ELS revoked all sports-betting licences on 15 December 2025, but that statement does not appear in text on the ELS channel. As of 30 October 2026 no licensed sports-betting operator is known to be active and the ELS publishes no register of licences.
ELS notice, 4 Dec 2025 (Telegram) ↗Press report of the revocation ↗
Regulator and player protection in Ethiopia
Regulator
Application authority and enforcement body
Mandatory RG controls
No limit imposed on players
Deposit limits or reality checks the law requires operators to offer
Heads-up for operators
2 items · last change 30 Oct 2026
The executive-organs proclamation numbered 1440/2019 EC, approved by the House of Peoples' Representatives on 7 October 2026, will replace Proclamation 1263/2021, which gives the Ministry of Revenues the lottery permit powers; its text was not published as of 30 October 2026, so whether the licensing power or the ELS's status changes is not known. Press reports of September 2026 say the ELS is preparing a relaunch of licensed sports betting; no draft directive, bill or consultation appears in an official source.
Executive-organs proclamation approved
Will replace Proclamation 1263/2021, which allocates the lottery permit powers; text not yet published.
Source: 1
Not yet in force: drafts, laws adopted without a start date, and sections of the law still to be commenced. An item moves to the timeline below on the day it takes effect.
Licence Types in Ethiopia
4 licence types are listed for Ethiopia; each says who issues it and what it covers.
| Licence | Regulator | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports betting lottery licence | Ethiopian Lottery Service | One year, renewed between Hidar 1 and Tahsas 30 (about 10 November to 8 January) | Land-based: betting only at branches the ELS recognises (Directive 856/2014 art. 16(2)). ETB 500,000 fee, ETB 100,000 renewal, ETB 1,500,000 bank guarantee; reserved to domestic investors (Investment Regulation 474/2020 art. 4). All 22 licensees suspended on 4 December 2025. |
| Conventional bingo licence | Ethiopian Lottery Service | One year | Land-based hall game; ETB 400 new, ETB 200 renewal; age 18 (Directive 126/2013). |
| Tombola or raffle and promotional lottery permits | Ethiopian Lottery Service | Per event | Prizes in kind; a promotional lottery runs at most three months (Directives 139/2013, 815/2013). |
| State lotteries (ELS monopoly) | Ethiopian Lottery Service | Statutory | Lotto, toto, instant, number and multiple-prize lotteries and modern bingo are reserved to the ELS (Regulation 160/2009 art. 12(1)); it sells them online on ethiolottery.et. |
Licensing model
Ethiopia has no online licence. Regulation 160/2009 art. 12(3) makes four games licensable (sports betting, conventional bingo, tombola or raffle, promotional lotteries) and reserves the rest to the ELS; the sports betting directive allows betting only at ELS-recognised branches. Lottery and sports betting are reserved to domestic investors (Investment Regulation 474/2020 art. 4, item 26), so a foreign company cannot hold the licence.
Gambling tax and fees in Ethiopia
Detail
The '15% of turnover' is the ELS commission on gross ticket sales before VAT, with no deduction for prizes, paid monthly (Directive 856/2014 art. 11), not a tax. Licensees also pay a 0.5% social contribution (art. 13), VAT of 15% on the margin of amounts wagered less cash prizes paid (VAT Proclamation 1341/2024 art. 34, Regulation 570/2025 art. 12), and 30% business income tax with a 2.5% minimum alternative tax from 8 July 2025.
These figures apply to the land-based branch licence; no online licence exists.
Year-1 cost: From ETB 2,000,000
Directive 856/2014 sets the amounts for the land-based sports-betting licence; no online licence exists.
| Line item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Licence fee | ETB 500k Source2 | Paid in advance (Directive 856/2014 art. 8) |
| Annual renewal fee | ETB 100k Source2 | Late renewal within the next month: ETB 10,000 fine (arts 8, 18(2)) |
| Bank guarantee | ETB 1.5M Source2 | Unconditional, kept in force (arts 4(2)(g), 9(6)) |
| ELS commission | 15% of gross ticket sales Source2 | Monthly, by the 15th (art. 11) |
| Social contribution | 0.5% of revenue Source2 | 0.25% to a sports club or charity, 0.25% to the ELS (art. 13) |
Year 1 estimate
From ETB 2M
Licence fee ETB 500,000 plus the ETB 1,500,000 guarantee, committed before trading; the 15% commission and 0.5% contribution follow from the first month. No licence can be obtained while the suspension stands.
Bonus rules in Ethiopia
No instrument mentions welcome bonuses, free bets, free spins or wagering requirements. Advertising of gambling is banned (Advertisement Proclamation 759/2012 art. 25(1)(e)), and the general bans on misleading 'free' offers apply.
What the operator can advertise
A lottery advertisement must name the organiser and its permit, the prize and the draw date, time and venue (Proclamation 759/2012 art. 12).
Sources3
Advertising: banned or near-banned
Ethiopia's Advertisement Proclamation 759/2012 prohibits advertising of gambling through any means of dissemination (art. 25(1)(e)), with a fine of ETB 30,000 to 250,000 plus the income from the advert (art. 34). A lottery may be advertised only by a person authorised to run it, and the advert must name the organiser and its permit, the prize and the draw date, time and venue (art. 12); the state Ethiopian Lottery Service advertises its own lotteries. No online gambling licence exists. Whether sports-betting adverts count as gambling or as a licensed lottery is not settled by any instrument. The Ethiopian Media Authority regulates advertising in general. As of 30 October 2026.
| Channel | Status | Vertical & Platform Split (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Ads | Banned | Advertising of gambling is prohibited by any means of dissemination, and the Proclamation covers internet websites of an organisation or person in Ethiopia (Advertisement Proclamation 759/2012 arts 2(2), 3, 25(1)(e)); the fine is ETB 30,000 to 250,000 plus the income from the advert (art. 34). Only an authorised lottery organiser may advertise a lottery, naming its permit, the prize and the draw (art. 12). No online gambling licence exists. Google's own policy is not cited here.45 |
| App Store Publishing | Restricted | No channel rule found for app-store distribution. No online or app gambling licence exists: sports betting is licensable only at branches the ELS recognises (Directive 856/2014 art. 16(2)), and unlicensed lottery activity is an offence (Regulation 160/2009 art. 20(1)). Only the state Ethiopian Lottery Service sells lottery games by app and SMS (operator statement). The stores' own policies are not cited here.567 |
| Google/Apple App Store Ads | Banned | App-store adverts are advertisements, so the ban on advertising of gambling by any means applies where the advertiser is in Ethiopia (Advertisement Proclamation 759/2012 arts 3, 25(1)(e)). An authorised lottery may advertise with the art. 12 disclosures.4 |
| Meta (FB/IG) | Banned | No social-media rule by name; a social-media advert falls under the Proclamation where the advertiser works in Ethiopia, the advert is prepared and disseminated there, or it runs on a website of an organisation or person in Ethiopia (Advertisement Proclamation 759/2012 art. 3), and the gambling ban (art. 25(1)(e)) then applies. The state lottery posts its prizes and draws on its own Telegram channel. Meta's own policy is not cited here.4 |
| TV & Radio | Banned | Advertising of gambling is prohibited through any means of dissemination (Advertisement Proclamation 759/2012 art. 25(1)(e)), and broadcasters must make sure adverts comply (Media Proclamation 1238/2021 art. 55). A lottery may be advertised by an authorised organiser with the art. 12 disclosures. No gambling-specific watershed exists.48 |
| Sponsorships | Restricted | A business whose advertising is prohibited may not sponsor a means of advertisement dissemination subject to the prohibition (Advertisement Proclamation 759/2012 art. 15(4)); since advertising of gambling is prohibited (art. 25(1)(e)), a gambling business cannot sponsor the media, outdoor advertising or websites. Sponsorship of teams, events or stadiums is not addressed. A sports-betting licensee must pay 0.25% of revenue to a sports club, institution or charity under a support agreement (Directive 856/2014 art. 13).46 |
| Digital OOH | Banned | Outdoor advertising, including electronic screens, is a means of dissemination, and advertising of gambling through it is prohibited (Advertisement Proclamation 759/2012 arts 2(12), 25(1)(e)); an authorised lottery may advertise with the art. 12 disclosures.4 |
Channel rules for Ethiopia reflect each platform's published policy and the sources numbered in each row (listed under Methodology & sources). Verify with the local regulator and your ad-platform account manager before launching.
Enforcement cases in Ethiopia: 1 recent
Material regulator actions, court rulings, and high-profile fines from 2016–2026 against operators serving Ethiopia. Each entry includes the technical failure and a one-line read-across for other operators in the market.
- 4 Dec 2025
22 licensed sports-betting companies
LicensingLicences suspended until a criminal investigation is completedThe ELS notice records that owners of the betting companies and their associates were arrested on suspicion of concealing over ETB 100 billion of government revenue.
Read-across: No licensed sports-betting operator is known to be active as of 30 October 2026; press reports a revocation of all licences on 15 December 2025, not found in an ELS text.
Licensed operators: none
As of 30 Oct 2026, no operator holds an active online licence in Ethiopia.
Notable licensed operators
- Visit site
Traps operators hit in Ethiopia
Specific operational risks that have caught new entrants in this market. Each item is country-specific. Generic gambling-ops issues (KYC, RG tools) are not included unless they have a local twist.
No online licence exists
Regulation 160/2009 makes four land and event games licensable and reserves the lotteries to the ELS; the sports-betting directive allows betting only at ELS-recognised branches (art. 16(2)). Unlicensed lottery activity carries ETB 50,000 to 100,000 and 3 to 5 years (Regulation 160/2009 art. 20(1)).
Domestic investors only
Lottery and sports betting are reserved to domestic investors (Investment Regulation 474/2020 art. 4, item 26), so a foreign company or branch cannot hold the licence.
Sources10
All licences suspended since 4 December 2025
The ELS suspended all 22 sports-betting licensees pending a criminal investigation; no official reopening or new licence has appeared as of 30 October 2026.
Sources11
The 15% is charged on stakes
The ELS commission is 15% of gross ticket sales before VAT, with no deduction for prizes, paid monthly; late payment adds 20%, 50% or 100% with revocation (Directive 856/2014 arts 11, 17).
Sources2
Timeline: rules in force
- 4 Dec 2025
ELS suspends all 22 sports-betting licensees
Suspended until a criminal investigation is completed.
Source: 11
- 8 Jul 2025
Winnings tax rises to 20%
Proclamation 1395/2025 sets 20% of gross winnings for income from 8 July 2025.
Source: 12
- ~2024 (reported as 2025)
All Sports Betting Licenses Revoked Nationwide
Following a multi-agency probe, the NLA revokes all sports betting licenses, shutting down the entire regulated market.
Source: 13
- 26 Dec 2022
Sports Betting Lottery Licensing Directive 856/2014
ETB 500,000 fee, ETB 1,500,000 guarantee, age 21, betting only at recognised branches.
Source: 2
- 2012
Sports Betting Formally Legalized
The legal framework is expanded to include the licensing and regulation of sports betting.
Source: 14
- 2009
Regulation 160/2009
The operative framework: the ELS's exclusive games and the four licensable games.
Source: 9
- 2007
Proclamation 535/2007 re-establishes the National Lottery Administration
Permits, supervision, prohibitions and penalties for lottery activity.
Source: 15
- 1961
National Lottery Administration (NLA) First Established
The NLA is originally established to run lottery games in the country.
Source: 16
Operator myths vs reality in Ethiopia
Common assumptions about gambling licensing that turn out to be wrong in practice.
- MythOperators pay a 15% gambling tax on turnover.
- MythA foreign operator can get an Ethiopian sports-betting licence through a local subsidiary.Reality
Lottery and sports betting are reserved to domestic investors (Investment Regulation 474/2020 art. 4, item 26).
Sources10
- MythThe regulator is still the National Lottery Administration.
Markets that work like Ethiopia
Compared on what our records hold for each country: whether online casino, betting, poker and lottery are licensed, state-run or banned, the licensing model, what the operator tax is levied on and its band, how most advertising channels are treated, and how foreign licences are treated. A point we hold for only one of the two countries counts for nothing.
Methodology & sources
The research behind our Ethiopia coverage
Counted across every Ethiopia page, not this page alone.
compiled 30 Oct 2026
12
official websites
regulators, legislatures, courts
60
pages cited
specific documents, not homepages
247
sourced data points
each traced to the instrument
Across every Ethiopia page on this site: players, operators and the licence guide. The research report behind them cites official sources: the law, the regulator, the gazette, the courts and each platform’s own published advertising policy. Page sections not yet rewritten from the report may cite other sources.
The same research as a 61-page Ethiopia report: every one of the 201 checklist questions, each answer cited to the instrument behind it.
Request the Ethiopia reportOur Deep AI Scan took Ethiopia through all 201 questions of our regulatory checklist, from 58 official documents, read on 30 Oct 2026. Our research team then traced every figure on this page to the document and sentence that states it. The full research report is due to go to our compliance team. Where a fact rests on a press report or a law-firm summary rather than an official document, the page says so.
Documents cited on this page
- 1Ministry of Justice: the House approves the executive-organs proclamation (7 Oct 2026)
- 2Sports Betting Lottery Licensing Directive No. 856/2014, Ministry of Justice
- 3Advertisement Proclamation No. 759/2012, Ministry of Justice
- 4Advertisement Proclamation No. 759/2012 (Ministry of Justice law database)
- 5Council of Ministers Regulation No. 160/2009 (Ministry of Justice law database)
- 6Sports Betting Lottery Licensing Directive No. 856/2014 (Ministry of Justice law database)
- 7EthioLottery terms of use (Ethiopian Lottery Service)
- 8Media Proclamation No. 1238/2021 (Ministry of Justice law database)
- 9Council of Ministers Regulation No. 160/2009 (National Lottery Administration), Ministry of Justice
- 10Investment Regulation No. 474/2020, Ministry of Justice
- 11Ethiopian Lottery Service notice of 4 December 2025 (official Telegram channel)
- 12Income Tax (Amendment) Proclamation No. 1395/2025, Ministry of Justice
- 13Source
- 14Source
- 15Proclamation No. 535/2007 (National Lottery Administration), Ministry of Justice
- 16Source
- 17VAT Proclamation No. 1341/2024, Ministry of Justice
- 18Executive Organs Proclamation No. 1263/2021, Ministry of Justice
The 10 documents this page relies on most
- Sports Betting Lottery Licensing Directive No. 856/2014 (Ministry of Revenues; amends Directive 83/2005)Law
- Council of Ministers Regulation No. 160/2009 (160/2001 EC), National Lottery Administration Re-establishment, Negarit Gazeta 15th Year No. 21, 4 Feb 2009Law
- Advertisement Proclamation No. 759/2012, Negarit Gazeta 18th YearRegulator
- Sports Betting Lottery Directive No. 140/2013 (Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority, 11 Oct 2012), replaced by 83/2005 then 856/2014Law
- Federal Income Tax Proclamation No. 979/2016 (Amharic text layer)Regulator
- ELS official Telegram channel, posts 2442-2443, 4 Dec 2025: press statement on the suspension of 22 sports-betting operatorsRegulator
- Personal Data Protection Proclamation No. 1321/2024 [1321/2016 EC], Federal Negarit Gazette 30th Year No. 35, 24 July 2024Law
- Income Tax (Amendment) Proclamation No. 1395/2025 (Federal Negarit Gazeta 31st Year No. 64, 1 Sep 2025; bilingual)Regulator
- Council of Ministers Investment Regulation No. 474/2020, Negarit Gazeta 26th Year No. 78, 2 Sep 2020Law
- Definition of Powers and Duties of the Executive Organs Proclamation No. 1263/2021, Negarit Gazeta 28th Year No. 4, 25 Jan 2022Regulator
Also cited on this page
58 documents in all. Request the full research report for every source, answer by answer.
Looking for the player guide?
For consumer-facing information about gambling in Ethiopia (tax on winnings, where to play legally, self-exclusion options), see the Ethiopia player guide.
Disclaimer. This page reflects the law as we understood it on 30 Oct 2026. Rules change: always check the current position with Ethiopian Lottery Service (ELS), formerly the National Lottery Administration. We are not a legal adviser.