Gabon’s State Gambling Monopoly Faces Questions Over Undisclosed Fees, Operator Approvals and Oversight Conflicts

Gabon’s state-owned gaming company has not identified any approved businesses to operate under its new monopoly system, more than seven months after applications closed. The development raises questions over transparency, fees and the separation of commercial and oversight roles in the GDJ.

Previous authorisations, licences and declarations became invalid on 7 April 2026. The GDJ invited private operators to apply for licences under its supervision following the reform that created the state company to organise, operate and control gambling in the Central African country of about 2.65 million people.

Promise of Transparency Unfulfilled

In February, the GDJ called for expressions of interest with a 2 March deadline. It promised a transparent, fair and rigorous selection process to identify operators with proven technical, financial and organisational capacity. Applicants had to comply with rules on excessive gambling, access by minors, money laundering and operational security.

However, the GDJ has not published the result or named any approved operators. It has not set out the fees, operating requirements and revenue-sharing arrangements. The GDJ board first met on 7 August and approved its strategic plan, budgets and internal rules.

Concerns Over Oversight, Payments and Fees

Lawmakers questioned the conflict from combining commercial and supervisory roles in the same state company. Then-interior minister Adrien Nguema Mba said control systems would separate oversight from operations. He described the reform as a sovereign choice for reappropriation of the sector and complete traceability of financial flows.

The mandate to centralise financial flows went to eTech SAS without tender in May 2025. Later, Paymetrust signed an agreement with the GDJ for online betting payments. The relationship between the two has not been explained.

Operators await definitive licences, with concerns about requirements for each activity and site, higher costs, delayed winnings and deductions equivalent to 30% of turnover. The 2026 Finance Law projected CFA1.24 billion ($2.1 million) in revenue from the tax on games of chance.

According to iGaming Business, the reform’s effectiveness will remain difficult to judge until the GDJ publishes the selection outcome and financial terms. Greater disclosure on approved operators and payment arrangements is required before the framework’s impact on traceability and state revenue can be properly assessed.

Reporting: iGaming Business (iGB)

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