Ethiopia plans to bring bookmakers back under tighter control after canceling all licenses in December 2025

Ethiopia is preparing to restart bookmaker operations, but under tighter oversight after all licenses were canceled in December 2025. For PSPs, acquirers, and banks that touch betting flows, the key point is simple: the market is reopening, but not on the same terms.

1. The original report says Ethiopia plans to allow bookmakers to resume operations under stricter control after the mass license cancellation in December 2025.
2. All licenses were annulled, which means the market has effectively been reset rather than merely adjusted. That matters for payment providers because any re-entry will depend on the new licensing and compliance framework, not the old one.
3. No further details were provided in the source about timing, licensing conditions, or the regulator’s new requirements, so those points remain open.