Ethiopia prepares to restart betting and digital lottery market after audit found Br27.5 billion shortfall

Ethiopia is preparing to bring back betting companies and digital lotteries under tighter supervision after a preliminary audit found a large amount of unpaid money owed to the state. For PSPs and acquirers, the key point is simple: the market is not closed, but any return will come with heavier monitoring, collections risk, and a regulator that now has a very specific number in hand.

1. According to state media Fana, betting and lottery operators processed Br199 billion (about $1.22 billion) during the audited period. Around Br19 billion (about $116 million) came from ten companies, including Br8.64 billion (about $53 million) from one operator.
2. The state was supposed to receive about Br30 billion (about $184 million) in commission, but only Br3.6 billion (about $22 million) was actually paid. The reported Br27.5 billion shortfall also includes penalties, license renewal fees, and registration fees. The full report has not been published yet, and some figures in it reportedly do not match.
3. Beza Girma, head of the Ethiopian Lottery Service (ELS), said that once the audit is complete, the regulator will collect the debts through the courts. ELS is also building a unified digital system to track operators’ financial and legal obligations.
4. The enforcement timeline has already been messy. On 4 December 2025, ELS suspended 22 operators pending review. On 15 December, the regulator revoked all betting licenses and ordered both online and offline acceptance to stop. In August 2026, authorities announced measures against 38 betting companies suspected of tax evasion, hiding revenue, and illegal financial activity; owners were detained and accounts frozen.
5. Hulu Sport challenged the regulator’s decision, and the Federal High Court overturned it because the company was not given a chance to respond to the allegations. ELS appealed and obtained a stay of execution until the cassation review is heard. The regulator has not yet announced the timing, requirements, or procedure for issuing new licenses.

For high-risk payment firms, Ethiopia is the kind of market where licensing can turn from “commercial opportunity” to “collections problem” very quickly. If ELS reopens the sector under a single digital reporting system, operators and their payment partners will be dealing with closer transaction visibility and a regulator that has already shown it is willing to suspend, revoke, and litigate.