Ethiopia Prepares Betting Relaunch After Br27.5 Billion Audit Shortfall

Ethiopia is moving toward a tighter sports betting and digital lottery regime after a draft audit reported Br27.5 billion in unpaid amounts due to the state. For PSPs and operators, the key point is simple: the market is not reopening into a normal licensing environment, but into a cleanup exercise with heavier oversight.

1. The Ethiopian Lottery Service (ELS) said in July that no operator held a valid licence. It has not announced a new licensing process or reopening date, even as it says any relaunch will come with stronger oversight and modern technology.
2. A Fana Media Corporation report said operators in the sports betting and lottery sector processed Br199 billion in transactions during the period covered by the draft audit. The review alleged that a single operator accounted for Br8.64 billion, while ten companies collectively accounted for approximately Br19 billion.
3. The audit said about Br30 billion in commission was due to the state, but only Br3.6 billion was paid. The reported shortfall also included penalties, licence-renewal fees and registration charges. ELS chief executive Beza Girma said the regulator would pursue legal measures to recover liabilities identified when the audit is completed.
4. The assessment is still provisional. The complete audit has not been published, and the figures reported for individual categories do not align precisely, so the Br27.5 billion headline should be read as a draft finding rather than a final settlement figure.
5. The crackdown started earlier: ELS suspended 22 operators on 4 December 2025 during an investigation into alleged regulatory and financial breaches, then revoked all sports betting licences on 15 December and ordered online and physical betting operations to stop. In August 2026, the Government Communication Service said action had been taken against 38 betting enterprises accused of concealing customer data, evading tax, hiding revenue and conducting illicit financial transactions.

The legal fight is still live as well. Operator Hulu Sport has challenged the regulator, adding another layer of uncertainty before any relaunch process is defined.