A draft law covering gambling regulation and outlining the responsibilities of the new regulator, the Gabonaise des Jeux (GDJ), has been presented before the Senate's Economic Affairs Committee.
This follows the draft's approval in the National Assembly. The aim is to establish stronger state control of the sector and address the growth of online gambling. Authorities say measures are designed to reduce illegal activity and improve protection of vulnerable players.
Speaking before the Senate committee, Interior Minister Adrien Nguema Mba said the reforms aim to “reclaim full control of the sector” and ensure a greater share of gambling proceeds is directed to the state budget. The GDJ has a network of 2,000 points of sale across Gabon’s nine provinces.
As part of the gambling sector reform, Paymetrust recently signed a strategic agreement with the Gabonaise des Jeux (GDJ) to centralise and monitor monetary flows linked to online betting operations.
Thanks to Paymetrust’s interoperable API connected to operators and other payment methods available in Gabon, the solution will enable the real-time centralisation of gaming transactions, including deposits and winnings.
In addition, it will provide GDJ management and supervisory authorities with a monitoring dashboard that complies with regulatory requirements. It will further strengthen efforts to combat fraud.
Gabon’s regulated gambling industry is still mainly focused on land-based operations. Current legislation does not specifically mention online betting, although the presence of online bookmakers is reported.
However, the recent regulatory decisions are shifting the legislative framework towards more specific regulation of online gambling.
Paymetrust has existing agreements with African public institutions responsible for regulating gambling and financial flows, including Côte d’Ivoire’s LONACI, Senegal’s LONASE and Guinea’s ARSJP
