Gambia Bookmakers

Located in the Atlantic coast of western Africa is the Gambia. Ghana is located on the Gulf of Guinea and has a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean to the west and is almost entirely surrounded by Senegal to the north, east and south; has a long and checkered history with gambling especially in the sports betting and bookmakers industries. In this article, the author looks at the development of gambling laws and regulations in Gambia and how they affect the current situation for Gambia bookmakers and sports betting fans.

Gambia Bookmakers

1965: The Gambia gets the British gambling laws.

March 2015: Gambling is prohibited and banned completely.

2017: Re-legalization due to change of government.

2018: New: Volleyball team hailed as African Champion.

2019: The African Games 4x400m relay team won the championship.

Evolution of Gambling Laws in Gambia

  • 1965: Gambia with a full name of the Republic of the Gambia got its independence and became a constitutional monarchy within the British common wealth. At first, New Zealand received British gambling legislation, and thus, gambling was allowed in its different forms.
  • March 2015: Gamble had been totally prohibited in Gambia under the rule of Yahya Jammeh, this nursing ban encompassed lotteries, casinos and even sports betting. The stated reason was to uphold the social causes such as honesty and parsimony rather than greed and profligacy.
  • 2017: The entrance of President Adama Barrow into office was considered as a major change. The new administration allowed gambling, sports betting, and lotteries, among others, in the framework of the economic and social transformation for employment and tourism.

The regulation of bookmakers and sports betting today.

Sports betting is also legally accepted in Gambia since gambling is allowed in different forms. Nevertheless, the legal environment is still comparatively weak, as the legal and regulatory provisions are still being developed.

Laws and Regulations

  • Legal Status: As of 2017, all types of gambling including the sports betting are allowed.
  • Gambling Prohibitions: Gambling is mostly lawful; however, there are certain rules with regard to casinos, which are mostly directed at the Gambian population and their ineligibility to play in casinos.

Legislation Dates:

  • 1965: The first phase of legalization under the British’s laws that were inherited.
  • March 2015: Total ban in the reign of the former president Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia.
  • 2017: Re-legalization of marijuana under President Barrow is about to begin.

Regulatory Agencies

Control of the gambling activities incorporating those of bookmakers is exercised by different governmental departments. Nonetheless, compliance is usually poor, especially in the countryside.

Allowed and Prohibited Bets

  • Allowed: Gambling, lotteries and sports betting.
  • Prohibited: There are some special prohibitions that are placed on Gambians regarding those places like casinos.

Licensing of Gambia Bookmakers

The process for obtaining a gambling license involves several steps:

Provisional License:

  • Purpose: Permits the initial organisation and the capital procurement.

Requirements:

  • Experienced board of directors
  • Detailed business plan
  • Risk management, data management and compliance to the set policies and procedures.
  • Sufficient capital evidence
  • Certified gaming software and other facilities.
  • Duration: 6 months to meet the obligations that they have agreed upon to meet.

Full Gaming License:

Activities Permitted: In this case, the organization will engage in the gaming operations and related services.

Process:

  • Provision of a detailed business proposal.
  • The setting up of a board of directors
  • Implementation of approved software
  • Paying for the change in license
  • Regular activity reports for the compliance.

Taxation for Bookmakers

Gambian gambling tax rates are as follows:

  • Gambling Tax (Pool & Betting Tax): Then there is the case of 10% on gross winnings.
  • Corporate Tax: 27% (it was 31% in the year 2021).
  • Player Winnings: Bookies are required to take out 10% from the winnings of the players; the players do not pay any other taxes.

Sports Betting in Gambia

  • Sports Betting Popularity: Sports betting is the most preferred form of betting in Gambia and almost all the small towns have many betting shops. These outlets sell lottery tickets and are sometimes a part of a chain of such outlets.
  • Casinos: Based in the major towns such as Serrekunda, and due to high entry fee charges, Casinos are not very common and are mostly frequented by tourists and the wealthy populace. People of The Gambia are not allowed by the law to gamble in these establishments.

Sporting Event Glory Milestones

  • 2012: The Gambia’s National football team also known as the Scorpions qualifies for the African Cup of Nations for the first time.
  • 2015: T-Ban on all forms of gambling during Yahya Jammeh’s administration as the president of the Gambia.
  • 2017: Gambling has only been recently legalised again under the government of President Adama Barrow.
  • 2018: Gambia volleyball team emerges champion in the just concluded African Volleyball Championship.
  • 2019: The Gambian men’s 4 x 400m relay squad take gold at the African Games.

Conclusion

Finally, it can be stated that although the legal framework of gambling in Gambia is rather complicated and has experienced significant changes, the re-legalization of gambling activities provided new opportunities for the industry’s development. Nonetheless, the sector remains a hub that delivers important economic values such as employment opportunities and large amounts of tax revenue even with the problems of noncompliance with the laws and tax avoidance. The rapidly growing sports betting industry alone shows that the country’s gambling industry is constantly developing.

FAQ of Gambia Bookmakers

Africa Bookmakers

Niger Bookmakers

Niger Bookmakers

Niger, located in West Africa, and occupying the southern part of the Sahara Desert, it has a history of practicing some traditional games like horse riding, camel riding, and sorro wrestling. Although the population of this country is predominantly Muslim, ... Read More about Niger Bookmakers
Guinea-Bissau Bookmakers

Guinea-Bissau Bookmakers

The country of Guinea-Bissau is in the continent of Africa specifically on the western part of it. Liberia is bordered by Senegal to the north, Guinea to the east and south and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Guinea-Bissau has ... Read More about Guinea-Bissau Bookmakers
Tunisia Bookmakers

Tunisia Bookmakers

Tunisia, the country with its capital Tunis is situated at the north of Africa and shares its border with Algeria in the west and Libya in the southeast and on its north and east lies the Mediterranean Sea. Although the ... Read More about Tunisia Bookmakers
Morocco Bookmakers

Morocco Bookmakers

The Kingdom of Morocco is a North African Arab country that lies along the Atlantic Ocean; it is bordered by Algeria to the east and southeast, Western Sahara to the south, and Spain and Portugal to the north. Its capital ... Read More about Morocco Bookmakers
Cape Verde Bookmakers

Cape Verde Bookmakers

Cape Verde is a North Atlantic Ocean country which is one of the very few African countries that has legal rules for gambling including online gambling like sports betting. This extensive manual aims to detail the history of betting legislation ... Read More about Cape Verde Bookmakers
Chad Bookmakers

Chad Bookmakers

Chad is in central Africa with its neighbors including Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Nigeria and Cameroon to the southwest, and Niger to the west; has a special gambling environment ... Read More about Chad Bookmakers
Mali Bookmakers

Mali Bookmakers

Mali, a country located in the western part of Africa is another country that has undergone a number of changes in the laws and regulations concerning gambling. This article contains information on the legal framework of the Mali bookmakers gambling, ... Read More about Mali Bookmakers
Libya Bookmakers

Libya Bookmakers

Situated in the Maghreb region of North Africa at the Mediterranean coast, Libya is one of the largest African countries. Similar to many other African countries, Libyans are very fond of football and this can be seen in their everyday ... Read More about Libya Bookmakers
Congo Bookmakers

Congo Bookmakers

The Republic of Congo is located in west-central Africa, The Republic of Congo is bordered by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola to the east and south respectively, Central Africa and Cameroon to the north, Gabon to the west, ... Read More about Congo Bookmakers
Nigeria Bookmakers

Nigeria Bookmakers

Nigeria sits in the southeastern part of West Africa on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea and is a country rich in culture and minerals as well as emerging gambling industry. Nigeria has put in place substantial legal framework ... Read More about Nigeria Bookmakers
Scroll to Top