Economics and statistics

The gambling economy of Burundi remains small and concentrated in cities (primarily Bujumbura) with the dominance of sports betting and lotteries; classic casinos and slot halls play a supporting role.

Money turnover is determined by retail receipt points and "mobile-first" payments: mobile money and vouchers provide a low average check and a high frequency of transactions.

For the budget, the industry gives modest but relatively stable revenues through licenses, GGR/turnover fees and corporate taxes; at the employment level, it creates jobs in retail, security, IT support and marketing.

Seasonality is pronounced around football leagues and continental tournaments; the online channel is growing, but rests on the regulatory "gray zone."

Key KPIs for monitoring: number of licensed operators and points of sale, share of mobile payments in turnover, average rate and session duration, GGR by products (sports/lotteries/slots/live), distribution of revenue by channels (retail/online), tax revenues and assessment of the share of the illegal segment.

Risks - competition of offshore sites, interruptions in payments and currency volatility; growth factors - digitalization of reporting, eKYC/AML and partnerships with telecoms.