The Ethiopia Lottery Service ( ELS) is making comprehensive preparations to relaunch sports betting and digital lottery services, anchored by robust regulatory frameworks and modern digital technology. This decision follows an extensive, independent audit and reform campaign aimed at enforcing transparency, accountability, and stringent oversight across a sector that has faced severe structural and legal compliance challenges over the past several years.
A draft audit report—covering the period from when operators first received licenses in July 2023 until their suspension in December 2025—indicates that firms operating within the sector transacted 199 billion Birr.
Beza Girma, CEO of the ELS, confirmed the accuracy of the report, emphasizing that the investigation was conducted to generate evidence-based insights to guide ongoing structural reforms. She added that the institution, in collaboration with relevant government bodies, will take all necessary legal measures to recover funds.
Out of an expected 30 billion Birr in commission alone during this period, operators paid only 3.6 billion Birr, causing the government to lose 27.5 billion Birr in revenue. Of this uncollected total, 32 percent (8.64 billion Birr) was concentrated in the hands of a single operator, Dash Betting, while the remaining 19 billion Birr was associated with other companies, according to a Fana Media Corporation (FMC) report.
On December 4, 2025, the ELS suspended the licenses of 22 sports betting agencies based on intelligence reports implicating them in illicit financial flows tied to over 100 billion Birr in lost government revenue. A coordinated campaign involving the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), the Financial Security Service, the Federal Police, and city administration security bodies led to the detention of company owners, managers, and associates for investigation.
The suspended operators included Dash Bet, Betika, Walia Sport, and 19 others. On December 15, 2025, the ELS revoked all sports betting licenses nationwide, ordered the cessation of online and physical betting activities, and directed banks and payment providers to block transactions associated with betting operators.
The regulator cited widespread illegal practices, breaches of licensing agreements, and illicit financial flows posing national security risks. Warning that destroying or concealing evidence is a criminal offense under the criminal code, operators were instructed to preserve all server data, financial records, and user information.
The ongoing law enforcement campaign expanded in August 2026, targeting 38 betting enterprises. The Government Communication Service described the action as part of a broader campaign against entities accused of committing “economic sabotage” aimed at undermining the homegrown economic reform agenda.
Although sports betting licenses were suspended in December 2025, FMC investigations indicate that illegal betting activities have continued unabated. Black market capital circulation has surged significantly, with 20 billion Birr transacted in September 2026 alone—a fourfold increase compared to the 4.7 billion Birr recorded in 2023.
The ELS previously issued a public warning in July 2026 clarifying that no licensed sports betting operators are currently operating within Ethiopia. Citizens were urged not to deposit funds through websites, mobile applications, agents, or social media pages promoting betting services.
