Landmark DRC partnership to link all licensed operators to government servers.
The digital watchdog system aims to crack down on unregulated gambling, curb tax evasion and boost state revenue through real-time oversight.
DRC.- A major digital overhaul is reshaping the gambling landscape in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as authorities move to rein in the country’s fast-growing but loosely regulated betting industry.
At the heart of the transformation is a new partnership with Burundi’s East African General Trade Company (EAGT), which will roll out a centralised digital monitoring platform to track activity across the sector.
As announced by the Sports and Leisure Ministry, the deal will see all licensed gambling and sports betting operators linked directly to government servers via the EAGT-developed system. The platform enables real-time data sharing and gives regulators widespread visibility into the sector. The move is expected to curb tax evasion and ensure stricter compliance.
The system is also aimed at improving tax collection and oversight, according to Bankable, which has been a persistent challenge in the industry that has ballooned in popularity. However, it remains rife with informal operators and sneaky practices.
The reform also signals a major shift in how the DRC approaches digital governance in high-risk, high-revenue sectors. Going forward, it could serve as a model for other African nations grappling with similar regulatory gaps.
The need for reform
In 2022, there were at least 139 illegal gambling operators in the country. The government managed to rake in only one billion Congolese francs ($360,000) in tax revenue. Former Finance Minister Nicolas Kazadi called the figure alarmingly low given the scale and growth of the industry.
With effective regulation, government analysts estimate that gambling-related tax revenues could exceed $100m each year.
Under the new project, a pilot phase will roll out in Kinshasa under the supervision of an inter-ministerial commission. EAGT will cover the initial investment and recover its costs over time from the system’s generated revenues. This model ensures there is no immediate financial burden on the state budget.
According to the Ministry, the initiative is aimed at boosting transparency, enforcing the 10 per cent tax on bettors’ winnings, and cracking down on widespread tax evasion that has long plagued the sector.
The DRC is following in the footsteps of Burundi, where in June 2024, a similar digital system was introduced by N Soft, a company specialising in governance technology that helps countries enhance revenue mobilisation and transparency. This triggered a 552 per cent spike in gambling tax revenue. That success has quickly become a benchmark for reform across the region.
While no full national rollout date has been confirmed, the Kinshasa pilot will serve as a critical test. With EAGT delivering the technology and public authorities tightening oversight, DRC is betting that digital tools can bring long overdue structure and billions in revenue to one of its fastest growing industries.
