The Ethiopian Lottery Service (ELS) has reiterated that the ban on sports betting in the country is still in effect, seven months after regulators cancelled all operating licenses in the sector. The announcement was made via ELS's official Telegram channel last week, motivated by reports of scam attempts targeting Ethiopian consumers amid rising confusion following the shutdown.
"At present, there is no sports betting organisation operating in Ethiopia with a legal licence," stated the regulator. They strongly advised citizens against participating in betting or depositing money through any unauthorized sports betting services or platforms.
This warning was prompted by troubling information circulating on social media and other channels from various sports betting entities.
ELS underscored that engaging with unlicensed operators could jeopardize individuals’ money and personal data, making it difficult for consumers to recover losses since these companies lack legal accreditation. The agency encouraged the public to report illegal operators via the shortcode 9695 and confirmed its commitment to work alongside government institutions to ensure "the public interest, financial integrity, and the rule of law" are upheld.
Contextually, this warning accompanies a crackdown initiated in November 2025, when Ethiopia's National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) arrested 24 individuals linked to sports betting ventures. NISS alleged that these suspects concealed over ETB100 billion (approximately $620.5 million) in government revenue, with claims that the funds were transferred overseas through cryptocurrency channels and informal transfer systems while local payment processors obscured transaction volumes citing confidentiality.
The scale of undisclosed funds raised serious concerns for authorities, especially in Ethiopia, one of the globe's lower-income nations. Following the investigation, ELS swiftly suspended the licenses of 22 sports betting companies on December 4, 2025, based on information from NISS regarding the arrests.
Just 11 days later, ELS revoked all remaining licenses without directly linking the action to the arrests or the alleged ETB100 billion in concealed funds. The regulator attributed the decision to a comprehensive review of the betting and financial sectors tied to national security concerns.
Despite the crackdown, all 24 arrested individuals had reportedly been released from custody by late January 2026, although authorities have not clarified whether charges were dropped or remain pending.
Legal challenges to the shutdown are ongoing. For instance, the Federal High Court recently overturned the National Lottery Administration’s suspension of Hulu Sport, citing procedural flaws in the regulatory process. However, that ruling has not enabled Hulu Sport to resume operations due to an appeal from the regulator, which has secured a temporary stay of execution.
This court ruling raised questions about the enforcement actions taken by the regulator but did not restore Hulu Sport’s licensing or revive the betting market.
The ELS's recent communication aims to confirm that recent court proceedings have not altered the legal status of sports betting in Ethiopia. Currently, no operators possess a license to conduct betting services.
In light of the existing ban, some government officials have suggested the potential for future regulatory frameworks. During a parliamentary hearing on a proposed sports proclamation in February 2026, state minister of culture and sports Mekiyu Mohammed remarked that entirely prohibiting betting or denying betting technology is "impossible" given the current global landscape. He proposed that Ethiopia should develop a legal framework to capitalize on the industry.
Additionally, ELS’s CEO Beza Girma indicated that the divided oversight of betting across two ministries complicates regulation, policy implementation, and accountability enforcement. These discussions reflect a shift in focus from whether the betting industry should operate in Ethiopia to how it should be structured and governed.
For now, the outlook for international operators and investors eyeing Ethiopia’s approximately 130 million potential consumers remains bleak. There is no existing licensing process, consultation efforts, or timeline indicating a return to regulation in the betting sector.
