Ethiopia prepares to relaunch betting, but payments providers should stay on the sidelines for now

Ethiopia is moving toward bringing back bookmakers after the legal betting market was fully shut down in December 2025, but the sequence matters: the government wants to sort out tax arrears, and regulators still have not settled who actually owns the file. For PSPs, that means this is a market to watch, not a market to jump into.

1. According to the preliminary audit, operators processed about 199 млрд быров (~$1.2 billion) from July 2023 through December 2025. Of that, about 30 млрд быров was due to the state in fees, while only about 3.6 млрд быров was actually paid.
2. The shortfall is about 27.5 млрд быров (~$167–180 million depending on the exchange rate). The Ethiopian Lottery Service (ELS) says that figure includes not only fees, but also penalties, license renewal charges, and registration charges, which is why the category totals do not line up neatly.
3. ELS plans to pursue recovery through the courts after the audit is completed. The full report has not been published yet, so the market is still operating on the basis of a draft, not a finished regulatory record.
4. In December 2025, ELS first suspended 22 operators and then revoked the licenses of all betting companies. Hulu Sport challenged the regulator and won in court on procedural grounds, but the dispute continued in higher courts and the market still did not reopen for the company.
5. There is also still a jurisdiction fight involving the Ministry of Culture and Sports, ELS, and the Ministry of Revenue. Ethiopia’s new sports development law did not codify the disputed betting-regulation clause, and no full reopening procedure has been announced.

For high-risk payments teams, the practical takeaway is straightforward. There is no reopening date, no published licensing requirements, and no application window yet. ELS has also said it is working on a unified digital system for tracking operator transactions and obligations, which points to tighter control over money flows rather than a quick return to business as usual.