Gambling laws in Ethiopia

This chapter was kindly submitted by Mesfin Tafesse & Associates.

1. Is there a Gambling Act (or equivalent) in place?

Yes. The National Lottery Administration Re-establishment Proclamation No. 535/2007 and National Lottery Services (NLS) Re-establishment Councils of Ministers Regulation No. 160/2009 are the main laws governing gaming in Ethiopia. Further, the Ministry of Revenue has issued a directive, effective September 1, 2021, cited as "Sports Betting Lottery Directive No. 172/2021," regulating sports betting. NLS has also issued sports betting licensing directive No. 172/2021.

2. Is online gambling a regulated activity?

There is no specific regulation of online gambling or gaming in Ethiopia.

3. Who are the regulators?

NLS is empowered to issue permits to undertake lottery activities, supervision and to revoke permits. (Art. 6 (4) of Proc. No. 535/2007).

4. Do laws set out a clear licensing framework for gambling (including licensing process, criteria, submission requirements, licensing conditions and ongoing compliance requirements)

Yes. 

5. Is gambling regulation specific to:

5.1 Betting?

Yes. Related to sport betting.

5.2 Sports?

Yes.

5.3 Skill games?

No.

5.4 Card games?

Yes.

5.5 Casinos?

No.

5.6 Lotteries?

Yes. Tombola or raffle.

5.7 Arcades?

No.

6. Are there Data Protection laws in place?

Ethiopia does not yet personal data protection law in place that regulates privacy and data protection, including the obligations of data controllers and processors, and the rights of data subjects. However, the right to privacy is recognized in the FDRE Constitution as a fundamental right, and different laws have rules regulating the area. The FDRE's 2005 Criminal Code, the 1960 Civil Code, the Computer Crime Proclamation No. 958/2016, the Freedom of the Mass Media and Access to Information Proclamation No. 590/2008 (as amended by the Media Proclamation No. 1238/2021), the Authentication and Registration of Documents' Proclamation No. 922/2015, the Electronic Signature Proclamation No. 1072/2018, and the Communications Service Proclamation No. 1148/2019 are among those Ethiopian laws that constitute rules on data protection and privacy.

6.1 If yes, do they apply extra territorially?

No.

7. Is there a Data Protection Regulator?

Although there is no central data protection authority, there are various sector-specific government bodies and authorities that regulate privacy and data protection, such as the Ethiopian Communication Authority, the Information Network Security Agency, the Ethiopian Ministry of Revenue, the National Bank of Ethiopia, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, the Ethiopian Document Authentication and Registration Service, and the Financial Intelligence Center.

8. Are there any exchange controls restricting the transfer of cash out of and into the country?

Yes. All payments to be made out of the country require either the approval of National Bank of Ethiopia or fall under the list of payments permitted for repatriation under the foreign exchange directives of the National Bank of Ethiopia.

Payments that will be transferred to the country may also require registration and approval by relevant government authorities depending on the purpose/type of transfer. 

9. Are there any tax implications of transferring cash in/out of the country?

There is no applicable tax while transferring cash in/out of the country.

10. Are there any tax implications of offering trading activities remotely into the country?

The Ethiopian income tax regime will be applicable to Ethiopian source income. Thus, a tax on offering trading activity remotely will be applicable to Ethiopian sources of income.

Portrait of
Mesfin Tafesse
Principal Attorney, Mesfin Tafesse & Associates
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Haymanot Belay
Senior Associate, Mesfin Tafesse & Associates