The proposed measure<\/strong> is part of draft law No. 17\/2025, included in Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko\u2019s economic and social recovery plan<\/strong> (PRES), marking one of the most significant changes to the country\u2019s gambling landscape in years, according to a Seneweb report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under the draft law<\/strong>, the state would withhold<\/strong> 20 per cent of all player winnings. Operators would also be required to hand over 20 per cent of their share of prize pools to the state-run gambling monopoly<\/strong>, effectively taking a cut of both player winnings and operator earnings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The government\u2019s explanatory memorandum<\/strong> states that the system \u201cfavours the use of transactions following structured and secure circuits\u201d, signalling a push toward traceable, digital payments<\/strong> and away from unregulated cash flows that have long characterised Senegal\u2019s gambling sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If enacted, players would take home one-fifth less<\/strong> on every win, while operators would divert a matching portion of their prize pools to the state. Government officials present the measure as a step toward financial inclusion and modernisation, but gambling sector analysts<\/strong> warn it could discourage betting in the legal market and push activity underground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The draft law also includes a 0.5 per cent money-transfer levy<\/strong>, capped at FCFA2,000 (\u20ac3) per transaction, and extends a 1 per cent stamp duty to all cash payments. Electronic transactions<\/strong> from mobile money to merchant code payments would fall under the new framework, with exemptions for small-scale withdrawals under FCFA20,000 (\u20ac30) and for electronic money conversions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The draft would also raise excise duties<\/strong> on alcohol and tobacco and expand vehicle taxes to cover all imported passenger cars as part of a wider effort to boost domestic revenue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the government frames the gambling tax as a step toward modernising the sector and ensuring traceable payouts<\/strong>, industry experts say the 20 per cent levy could immediately reshape betting behaviour<\/strong>, test operator margins<\/strong> and redefine Senegal\u2019s regulated gambling market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The measures remain proposals until draft law No. 17\/2025 completes the legislative process<\/strong>, but if approved, Senegal\u2019s gamblers and operators will soon be playing under tougher, state-supervised rules.<\/p>\n\n\nBroader taxes hit money transfers and excise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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