DRC gambling reform bill advances as National Assembly lists it among 25 priority texts
Extraordinary session marks the latest step in the country’s push to modernise gambling regulation and strengthen oversight.
DRC.- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has taken another step towards overhauling its gambling industry after the National Assembly included a gambling reform bill among 25 priority texts scheduled for an extraordinary session that opened on June 26.
National Assembly president Aimé Boji Sangara convened the lower house under a decision signed on June 25, following a government request to urgently examine a range of economic and security-related legislation. Among the measures before deputies is a draft bill covering the tax, criminal and regulatory regime for games of chance, the latest step in the country’s drive to modernise gambling regulation.
The session follows the close of Parliament’s ordinary March 2026 session on June 15.
According to Télé50, the agenda also includes the draft amended Finance Law for the 2026 financial year, legislation relating to scientific research, the stock market and local content, as well as bills seeking ratification of international financing agreements covering infrastructure, energy, agriculture and economic development.
Government pushes gambling reform
The proposed legislation forms part of the country’s broader programme to establish a modern legal and regulatory framework for gambling. If enacted, the bill is expected to strengthen gambling taxation, enhance regulatory oversight, improve enforcement measures and replace elements of the country’s outdated gambling legislation.
The latest parliamentary milestone follows a series of reforms aimed at increasing transparency and public revenue from the gambling sector.
In May, the Ministry of Finance unveiled plans for a centralised digital monitoring platform capable of tracking licensed gambling operators in real time. The system is expected to improve tax collection, strengthen regulatory compliance and help combat illegal gambling as part of broader governance reforms.
The gambling bill has been progressing through the legislative process since it was submitted to Parliament in 2025 and has been identified as a cornerstone of the country’s gambling reform agenda.
Its inclusion on the National Assembly’s extraordinary session agenda marks another significant legislative milestone. If enacted, the legislation would establish a comprehensive legal framework for games of chance and gambling while strengthening compliance, fiscal oversight and regulation across the sector.
