Republic of Congo Proposes 10% Levy on Electronic Gambling Bets

The Republic of Congo is proposing a new 10% levy on electronic gambling bets as part of its 2027 Finance Bill. This legislation would also mandate the use of electronic money for all betting transactions and introduce a central monitoring system for operators.

What Happened

The Republic of Congo is considering the introduction of a new levy on electronic gambling, with operators facing a charge equivalent to 10% of bets placed via electronic money channels, according to iGaming Today. This proposal is included in the government’s 2027 Finance Bill, which is currently under review by Parliament. The draft legislation, as reported by Ecomartin and cited by iGaming Today, specifies that the levy would apply to electronic betting on games of chance and other gambling activities.

Concurrently, authorities plan to implement a central monitoring system to enhance government oversight of operator activities. The Finance Bill further mandates that gambling operators use electronic money for all betting transactions. This requirement is intended to facilitate tracking and monitoring of gambling payments. The proposed supervisory framework involves an electronic platform designed to collect, centralize, and process both financial and statistical data. This system would be managed by the Regulatory Agency for Posts and Electronic Communications (ARPCE) on behalf of the state, providing authorities with real-time visibility into the market, as reported by iGaming Today.

Key Details

• The Republic of Congo proposes a 10% levy on electronic gambling bets as part of the 2027 Finance Bill, according to iGaming Today.
• The legislation would require gambling operators to exclusively use electronic money for all betting transactions, as stated in the Finance Bill.
• A central monitoring system will be established, managed by the Regulatory Agency for Posts and Electronic Communications (ARPCE), to provide real-time visibility into gambling activity, according to iGaming Today.
• Revenue from the levy would be allocated with 50% to the public treasury, 20% to the Regulatory Authority for Gambling and Games of Chance (ARJHA), 20% to ARPCE, and 10% to the Tourism Development Fund, as reported by iGaming Today.

Why It Matters

The proposed legislation represents a significant regulatory development for the gambling sector in the Republic of Congo. The introduction of a 10% levy on electronic bets, coupled with a mandate for electronic money transactions, indicates a governmental move towards stricter financial oversight and revenue generation from the industry. The establishment of a central monitoring platform, managed by ARPCE, is designed to provide authorities with real-time data, potentially improving regulatory enforcement and compliance. This builds upon previous reforms, including the adoption of legislation in October 2024 that regulated gambling and games of chance and established various licensing categories, according to iGaming Today.

What’s Next

The proposed measure is currently before Parliament as part of the government’s 2027 budget package, according to iGaming Today. The implementation of the central monitoring system would require operators to connect directly to the national platform managed by the ARPCE.