Gambling and online casinos in Guinea

Guinea is a West African country where gambling is in a transitional state between prohibition and legalization.

The legislation allows for separate forms of gambling, such as lotteries and sports betting, but casinos and online casinos remain in a grey area, operating predominantly through offshore platforms.

Nevertheless, interest in gambling in the country is growing steadily -

especially among young people and the urban population, and the government is increasingly considering gambling as a possible source of budget revenues and tourist activity.

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Historical context

Gambling appeared in Guinea during the French colonial rule, when there were small gambling houses for foreigners in Conakry.

After independence in 1958, all private casinos were closed, and gambling was declared a "bourgeois remnant."

However, since the 1990s, during the economic reforms, the country gradually began to open up for private business, and against this background, state lotteries and betting points appeared.

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Legislation and regulation

Guinea has no single law governing all forms of gambling.

Certain types are allowed, but a comprehensive legal framework has not yet been created.

Main regulations:

1. Decree No. 034/PRG/1996 - legalizes state lotteries;

2. Regulation of the Ministry of Finance (2001) - regulates the activities of bookmakers;

3. Cybercrime Code (2016) - includes online gambling in the list of "unlicensed financial transactions."

Regulatory authorities:

• Ministère de l'Économie et des Finances - licensing and taxation;
• Direction Nationale des Jeux et des Lotteries (DNJL) - supervision of lotteries and betting;
• Banque Centrale de la République de Guinée (BCRG) - payment control.

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Legal forms of gambling

1. Lotteries

The main operator is Loterie Nationale de Guinée (LONAGUI), founded in 1992.

She runs national lotteries, instant games and sports draws.

LONAGUI revenue in 2024 exceeded 250 billion Guinean francs

(about $28 million), and part of the profits goes to social and sports programs.

2. Bookmakers

There are licensed betting points in the country, the most famous of which are:

• Guinee Games, PMU Guinée, Bet223.

They offer betting on football, basketball, boxing and esports.

Mobile betting and online platforms are actively gaining popularity.

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Casinos and gambling halls

For 2025, not a single large casino is officially registered in Guinea, but in Conakry and Labe there are small private gaming salons at hotels and restaurants offering machines and roulette without an official license.

The government is still tolerant of their existence, if they do not cause complaints and are not involved in fraudulent schemes.

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Online gambling

There is no official regulation of online gambling in Guinea, but access to foreign sites is not blocked.

Players freely use platforms registered in offshore jurisdictions:

• 1xBet, BetWinner, Stake, BC. Game, Bet365, 22Bet.

Payment is made through:

• mobile wallets (Orange Money, MTN Mobile Money);
• bank cards (Visa, MasterCard);
• cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Tether, Tron).

Africa iGaming Trends 2024 estimates that the number of active online players in Guinea has exceeded 200,000, and the market size is estimated at about $60-70 million annually.

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Control and taxation

Control over lotteries and bets is carried out by DNJL, but due to limited resources, supervision of illegal operators is weak.

Nevertheless, the state is actively working on the creation of a new Gaming Bill, which will combine all forms of gambling and introduce a licensing system for online operators.

Taxes:

• 10% on gross revenue of licensed companies;
• 20% income tax;
• 5% tax on player winnings (for lotteries).

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Economic effect

Gambling is a small but growing sector of Guinea's economy.

The government sees gambling as an additional source of income outside the extractive industry.

Key benefits:

• Creating entertainment and IT jobs
• development of electronic payments;
• investments in sports (part of LONAGUI's profits goes to finance football clubs).

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Religious and cultural context

The majority of the population of Guinea are Muslims, so public attitudes towards gambling are restrained.

Imams and religious figures regularly condemn gambling, but the state adheres to a secular course, separating religious beliefs from economic policy.

There is a dual perception in society:

• for the older generation, excitement is sin and danger;
• for young people - entertainment and a way to "earn."

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Development prospects

Short-term: Passing legislation to regulate gambling and create licenses for online operators.

Mid-term: The arrival of the first official casinos in Conakry.

Long-term: integration with the West African Licensing Area (WAEMU Gaming Framework).

Experts predict that by 2030 the gambling market in Guinea could reach $150 million, and the country will become the new center of regulated gambling in French-speaking Africa.

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Guinea is a country on the verge of legalizing the modern gambling sector.

Lotteries and betting are already under state control, and online gambling is developing without official restrictions.