Located on the western side of the Gulf of Aden in northeastern Africa, that is predominantly a Muslim country with rather oppressive views on gambling, has found a way to legalize and regulate some forms of gambling. Aims to analyze the current status of gambling laws in Djibouti, with a special focus on Djibouti bookmakers and sports betting. The history of gambling in Djibouti, bookmakers, legislation and current trends including licensing, fees and taxation will be discussed.
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Table of Contents
Summary of Key Events
History of Djibouti’s Gambling Laws
Timeline of Legalization
- 1972: Gambling was allowed through délibération n°311/7eme L of 12th December 1972.
- 1983: The Gaming Act was enacted through the Loi n°39/AN/53/1ère L du 19 mars 1983 réglementant les jeux thereby taking the center stage as the gambling law.
- 1995: New rules in this sphere were adopted; it is allowed to play slot machines, which increased the list of allowed gambling.
Current Legal Framework
Nonetheless, the Quran has banned gambling; however, Djibouti has come up with legal provisions that permit some forms of gambling while at the same time respecting religious teachings by banning it to foreigners, tourists, and expatriates. Bookmakers and sports betting are also located in this regulated environment, although the regulation is rather detailed and differentiated.
Regulatory Agencies
The Ministry of Economy and Finance can be considered as the main gambling regulatory authority in Djibouti. This ministry is in charge of regulating operations of gambling houses and issuing licenses to physical businesses and enforcing the country’s gambling laws.
Prohibited and Allowed Bets
Gambling activities, including sports betting, are categorized into three main types:
- 1. Category A: Table games for instance Trente et Quarante, roulette, blackjack, craps, and boule.
- 2. Category B: Games of cards such as baccarat, chemin de fer and poker.
- 3. Category C: Others include; slot machines and video poker machines.
Djibouti Bookmakers Licensing and Fees
Gambling venue such as Djibouti bookmakers can only be conducted in the country with the approval of a working license. As for the legal framework of the country, the Penal Code of Djibouti states that the activity conducted without appropriate permission is prohibited and is punishable by fines in the amount of 10,000 Francs.
Taxation
There is no sufficient information on the taxes that can be imposed on the gambling operators and players in Djibouti. Nevertheless, all the operators are bound by the general tax laws as set by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Online Gambling Regulations
Online gambling in Djibouti can be stated as not being regulated at all. Are not required to obtain licenses and there are no certain laws prohibiting online gambling.This has made it possible for players to engage in the online gambling activities with least fear of the law.
International Operators
Analyzing the current situation, it can be stated that the Djiboutian government has not made any actions against international operators or local subjects who provide online gambling services. This means that the regulation of online gambling is rather lenient, which makes it a sort of legal ambiguity.
Sports Betting in Djibouti
Legal Status
Of all the forms of betting, sports betting is specifically forbidden in Djibouti, given that there are no legal provisions that allow it. On this account, no licenses are granted for serving as bookmakers; thus, any form of gambling for sports is prohibited.
Practical Implications
Even though online sports betting is prohibited in Djibouti, people are free to engage in the activity without the fear of being arrested. This is mainly because there are no stringent laws that regulate online activities and hardly any enforcement of those laws that exist.
Sporting Event Glory Milestones
Despite the challenges in sports betting, Djibouti has a rich history of sports achievements:
- 1984: Competing in the summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
- 2007: The event that happened in the history of sport in Djibouti is the victory of Djibouti’s national football team against Somalia whereby Djibouti won 1-0 to qualify to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
- 2014: Souleiman Ayanleh took the gold medal in the 1500 metres event of IAAF World Indoor Championships.
- 2011: All Africa Games gold in the 800m was clinched by Mohamed Daoud.
- 2016: Ayanleh Souleiman got the third place in the 1500m during the Rio Olympics.
Conclusion
This paper aims at analyzing Djibouti’s stance on gambling and more so on bookmakers and sports betting on the basis of cultural, religious and economic factors. To the current moment, the regulation of the sphere is not fully developed, but some activities are possible with certain limitations. It will be quite fascinating to observe how these regulations evolve in the course of the nation’s advancement, particularly in the light of the advancement of global and online gambling.
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