Yes - online betting and gambling are legal and regulated in Cameroon. Online sports betting, casino games, poker and lotteries operate under Law n°2015/012 of 16 July 2015 and its application Decree n°2019/2300/PM of 18 July 2019. Operators must hold an authorisation granted by the Minister in charge of gaming, issued through the Gaming Regulatory Agency (Agence de Regulation des Jeux) within the Ministry of Territorial Administration, and must be locally incorporated. Playing on a licensed site is legal for adults 18 and over; operating an online gaming activity without authorisation is punishable by six months to two years in prison and/or a fine of CFA 5-25 million.

Who regulates gambling in Cameroon?

Gambling oversight sits with the Minister in charge of gaming and the Gaming Regulatory Agency (Agence de Regulation des Jeux), under the Ministry of Territorial Administration (MINAT). The 2015 law and 2019 decree set out three regimes: a concession regime (casinos, betting, public lotteries), an authorisation regime (entertainment games, commercial games and online games), and a declaration regime (occasional or private lotteries). Online operators are expected to obtain authorisation, incorporate locally, and route transactions through approved channels. Enforcement in practice is uneven, but the legal framework itself is clear and modern.

Licensed sites vs offshore operators

A limited number of operators hold Cameroonian authorisation. Many large international brands, however, serve Cameroonian players from offshore, typically under a foreign licence (for example, several operate on Curaçao licences) rather than a Cameroonian one. The 2026 Finance Law directly targets this: non-resident digital platforms - explicitly including online casinos and sportsbooks - now owe Cameroonian tax once they cross defined thresholds. For players, a locally authorised operator gives clearer recourse if a dispute or withheld payout arises; offshore sites leave you dependent on that operator’s own foreign licence and goodwill. We do not assert that any specific brand holds a local Cameroonian licence unless it is confirmed by the regulator.

Payments: mobile money leads

MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money are the dominant payment methods, with deposits typically landing in seconds - far faster than bank transfers. Since 30 January 2025, MINAT has required online gambling payments to be channelled through a single government-approved aggregator, and instructed mobile-money providers to suspend accounts of other aggregators serving gaming firms. Since 1 January 2025, mobile-money deposits and withdrawals linked to gambling and entertainment carry a 1% tax (up from the general 0.2% transfer rate), on top of a general flat CFA 4 fee per transaction - so factor that into your bankroll.

Crypto status

Cryptocurrency is a legal grey area. No national law criminalises individuals holding or trading crypto, but it is not legal tender. COBAC Decision D-2022/071 of 6 May 2022 prohibits banks, microfinance institutions and payment service providers across the CEMAC zone from holding, exchanging or settling crypto-asset transactions, and the regional central bank BEAC has resisted regulating it. Some offshore betting sites advertise crypto, but with no bank-supported on-ramp you personally shoulder the volatility, custody and legal-uncertainty risk.

Tax on winnings

Cameroon’s gambling laws do not set a specific tax on player winnings. The heavier obligations fall on operators: the 2026 Finance Law imposes a minimum 3% corporate tax on Cameroon-sourced revenue for non-resident digital platforms that exceed 1,000 local users or CFA 50 million in annual local revenue, administered by the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI); larger operators may instead pay 30% on taxable profit under the standard regime.

Safer gambling

Responsible-gambling infrastructure is limited in practice, and peer-reviewed research flags problem and youth gambling as a growing concern in Cameroon and across Sub-Saharan Africa. Cameroon does not run a dedicated national gambling helpline, so if betting stops being fun, use any operator self-exclusion and deposit-limit tools available, set limits before you play, and seek support from a doctor or local mental-health service.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment, not income. If it feels out of control, set limits, self-exclude, and seek help.

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