Online betting is legal in Ivory Coast within a state-concession system — you must play through LONACI or an operator it has authorised, not through an unlicensed site. Law No. 2020-480 of 27 May 2020 grants the national lottery, LONACI (Loterie Nationale de Côte d’Ivoire), an exclusive concession over lotteries, sports betting and online games of chance. The sector is overseen by the Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH). In practice, regulated online betting reaches players through LONACI’s own Sportcash platform and through private partner brands that LONACI authorises to operate under its concession. Sites that operate without that authorisation are in an illegal/unlicensed zone that the government has been actively tightening since 2025.

Yes, under a concession model. The 2020 law reorganised the whole sector and reserved online games and sports betting for LONACI. Rather than running everything itself, LONACI both operates directly (Sportcash) and authorises private partner operators to run sportsbooks under its concession — brands such as 1xBet (operated locally by LUDUS) and Betclic have been recognised as authorised, though authorisations can be suspended: LONACI briefly suspended 1xBet in March 2024 over a contractual dispute before reinstating it. Land-based casinos and slot-machine halls sit outside the online arrangements: they require separate ARJH authorisation and, under the framework, are generally permitted only in four-star hotels. Anything operating without LONACI/ARJH authorisation is not legal.

The Regulator: ARJH

The Autorité de Régulation des Jeux de Hasard (ARJH), created by the 2020 law, is the national gambling regulator. It authorises operators, handles disputes and enforces player-protection rules covering addiction prevention, protection of minors and combating illegal offerings. Since 2025 the ARJH has run enforcement operations, including the public destruction of illegal slot machines in Abidjan. In late April 2026 the Council of Ministers created a dedicated surveillance, control and security unit — composed of sworn agents from the public security forces and the regulator — with broad powers of investigation and enforcement across the country.

Licensed vs Unlicensed

ChannelStatusNotes
LONACI / Sportcash (online betting)LegalDirect state offering
Authorised partner sportsbooks (e.g. 1xBet, Betclic)Legal when authorisedOperate under the LONACI concession; authorisation can be suspended
PMU’CI (horse-race betting)Legal, via LONACIState-run pari-mutuel
Land-based casino / slotsLegal with ARJH authorisationBroadly limited to four-star hotels
Any site without LONACI/ARJH authorisationNot legalTargeted by 2025–26 enforcement

Before depositing, check that a brand is currently recognised by LONACI. Sites operating without authorisation offer no local consumer protection.

Payments: Local and Crypto

Regulated betting in Côte d’Ivoire is built around mobile money, the dominant payment rail across West Africa, alongside bank cards and cash top-ups at LONACI points of sale. Sportcash integrates mobile payment options widely used locally.

Cryptocurrency is a different story. Crypto is not legal tender in Côte d’Ivoire and has no specific regulatory framework; it is not formally admitted in the regional monetary zone, and the regional central bank, the BCEAO, has repeatedly warned about volatility, the absence of consumer protection and money-laundering risks. There is no authorised crypto-gambling channel, and paying an offshore site in Bitcoin does nothing to make that operator legal locally.

Winnings Tax

Winnings are partly taxed. A 7.5% withholding at source applies to gambling winnings of 1,000,000 CFA francs or more, collected for the Public Treasury — a rule instituted by the 2018 Finance Law (Law No. 2017-870 of 27 December 2017). Winnings below that threshold are not subject to this levy. Operators are separately taxed on their gaming revenue. Separately, the 2026 Finance Law (effective January 2026) introduced the concept of a ‘digital permanent establishment’, taxing foreign online platforms that serve Ivorian consumers once their local turnover reaches 50 million CFA francs — part of a wider push to bring offshore digital services into the tax net.

Safer Gambling

Problem gambling is a rising concern in urban Côte d’Ivoire, alongside heavy betting advertising aimed at young men. There is no widely publicised dedicated national gambling helpline; player-protection issues are routed through the ARJH, which lists addiction prevention and protection of minors among its duties. Set deposit and time limits, treat betting as entertainment rather than income, and seek medical or social support if betting stops feeling optional.

Sources

18+ only. Gambling can be addictive — please play responsibly.