Angola requires prior approval for insurance-sector raffles
A new joint circular makes prior ISJ authorisation mandatory for chance-based promotions and ties prizes to the Special Gaming Tax.
Key takeaways:
- Joint Circular No. 02/ISJ/ARSEG/2026 makes prior ISJ authorisation mandatory for raffles, contests and other chance-based promotions run by insurance and pension-sector companies.
- The rule covers insurers, reinsurers, pension-fund managers and insurance brokers that use draws or random mechanisms to promote products to policyholders or the public.
- Prizes awarded through these campaigns are subject to the Special Gaming Tax, which promoters must withhold at source and pay to the tax authority under Law 17/24.
- ARSEG must verify that supervised entities hold the required ISJ authorisation and report any irregularities, embedding the measure in market-conduct supervision.
- Companies with qualifying campaigns already running when the circular entered into force have a non-extendable 30-day window to regularise with the ISJ or face administrative offences and fines.
Angola.- Angola’s Gaming Supervision Institute (ISJ) and Insurance Regulation and Supervision Agency (ARSEG) have issued a joint circular requiring insurance and pension-sector companies to obtain prior ISJ approval before running raffles, contests and other chance-based promotions. The measure, set out in Circular No. 02/ISJ/ARSEG/2026, brings these promotions under a coordinated compliance and tax regime, with ARSEG tasked to check authorisations and prizes subject to the Special Gaming Tax under Law 17/24.
Joint Circular No. 02/ISJ/ARSEG/2026 reinforces the existing authorisation requirement for random combinations used for promotional and advertising purposes, while specifically bringing insurance and pension-sector entities under a coordinated ISJ-ARSEG compliance framework. The circular applies to insurance and reinsurance companies, pension-fund management companies, and insurance mediation and brokerage companies that use draws, raffles, contests or other random mechanisms to promote their products or brands, including campaigns in which prizes are awarded to policyholders and/or the general public.
ARSEG subsequently published an announcement about the measure on September 23, 2026, highlighting its application to the insurance and pension-fund sectors and the joint regulatory approach.
The circular was signed by Nerethz Tati, director general of the ISJ, and Filomena Manjata, pesident of the Board of ARSEG.
Approval, tax and enforcement
This authorisation requirement is based on Article 51(3) of Angola’s Law No. 17/24 on Gaming Activity, which requires prior authorisation from the ISJ for random combinations used for promotional and advertising purposes, including raffles and temporary contests. The circular states, in translation, that companies covered by the measure “must request the respective prior authorisation from the ISJ.”
The move follows a broader push by the ISJ to clarify the rules governing prize promotions. In August, the regulator reiterated that businesses cannot assume that small or digital prize draws fall outside the regulatory framework, with prior authorisation required for promotional games, raffles and prize competitions.
The prizes awarded through these promotional campaigns are also subject to the Special Gaming Tax. The circular states that promoters must withhold the applicable tax at source and subsequently pay it to the competent tax authority in accordance with the provisions of the Gaming Activity Law.
ARSEG is required to verify whether supervised entities have the necessary ISJ authorisation when conducting campaigns involving draws or contests and to communicate any irregularities to the ISJ. The circular places this within ARSEG’s broader role in protecting policyholders and overseeing the market conduct of supervised entities.
The latest measure also builds on earlier cooperation between the ISJ and ARSEG, which agreed in 2025 to strengthen regulatory coordination and supervision across the gaming and insurance sectors.
The circular states, in translation, that “the operation of games of chance or similar games without due authorisation constitutes an administrative offence” and may result in fines and additional sanctions.
Companies that already had qualifying promotional or advertising campaigns under way when the circular entered into force have “a non-extendable period of 30 days” to regularise their situation with the ISJ, according to the circular.
The measure strengthens coordination between Angola’s gaming and insurance regulators, with the ISJ responsible for the relevant gaming authorisation and ARSEG checking compliance among the entities it supervises.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Who must get ISJ approval for raffles and contests in Angola now? Insurance and reinsurance companies, pension-fund management companies, and insurance mediation and brokerage firms that use draws, raffles, contests or other random mechanisms to promote products or brands. The requirement applies whether prizes go to policyholders or the general public.
- What law requires prior authorisation for these promotions? Article 51(3) of Angola’s Law 17/24 on Gaming Activity, which mandates ISJ authorisation for random combinations used for promotional and advertising purposes, including raffles and temporary contests. The joint circular explicitly cites this provision as the legal basis.
- What happens if a company runs a raffle without ISJ authorisation? Operating games of chance or similar games without due authorisation constitutes an administrative offence that can lead to fines and additional sanctions. Existing campaigns had a non-extendable 30-day period to regularise once the circular entered into force.
