List of Online Casinos in Ethiopia

History of Gambling in Ethiopia

The history of gambling in Ethiopia goes back to the 70s. In 1961, the National Lottery Administration was founded under proclamation number 183. Initially, the Lottery Administration was only in charge of the national lottery. It also served as the sole operator of lottery games in the country.

But slowly, over time, the Lottery Administration became responsible for more things than the lottery. After restructuring, it was only in 1981 that the Lottery Administration became the only entity responsible for regulating and controlling all gambling-related activities.

Discover the Ethiopia Gambling Law

We’ve already talked about the National Lottery Administration in Ethiopia. It has the authority to issue gambling permits. Any casino that wants to set up in Ethiopia must get a permit from the Lottery Administration to conduct all of its activities.

Unlike some African countries, gambling is legal in Ethiopia. At least in some forms, it is. Land-based casinos are legal. But there is only one licensed casino of its kind. As for online gambling and sports betting, they are unregulated.

So, players in Ethiopia legally access something like an international online casino.

Land-Based Casinos in Ethiopia

As for land-based casinos, there is only one licensed casino in Ethiopia. But the selection of games and services it offers are limited. The casino is in Addis Ababa and allows players to play slots and roulette. The casino doesn’t have anything else to offer besides these two.

The Future of Online Gambling in Ethiopia

Online gambling is unregulated in the country. So Ethiopian players can technically seek the services of online casinos. But for operators to base themselves out of Ethiopia doesn’t seem possible for the foreseeable future.

The internet penetration rate in Ethiopia is 25% as of 2024. That’s not too high compared to other African countries. And the number of mobile carriers is also not that high. This is why operators aren’t encouraged to set up online casinos and sportsbooks.

For the above reasons, operators don’t feel it would be worth investing in an online casino. So, the future of online gambling in Ethiopia is in the grey, to be honest.

Online Casinos in Africa per Country