Guinea is situated on the west coast of West Africa and it is neighbored by Guinea Bissau to the north, Senegal and Mali to the north and northeast respectively, Cote d’Ivoire to the east, Liberia and Sierra Leone to the south. This paper aims at providing a detailed analysis of the historical background of Guinea bookmakers, the chronological development of the laws regulating the sports betting business, the legal landscape, and the effects of these activities on the social and economic development of the country.
Table of Contents
Summary of Key Events
History of Legislation on Gambling
Early Beginnings
- 1959: Guinea got its independence from France. The first laws that were passed regarding gambling were mostly based on the French gambling laws. This paved way for the legalization of gambling in different ways.
- 2000: The setting up of state-controlled Loterie Nationale de Guinée (LONAGUI) was a great development. In this regard, LONAGUI and its subsidiaries were granted the monopoly to operate lottery or similar activities in Guinea.
- 2017: Guinea’s first online gambling company Guinea Games (La Guinéenne des Jeux SA) has put the first licensed gambling website in the country.
Regulatory Framework
The legal framework of gambling in Guinea is administered by the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Planning. It regulates all the gambling activities, the licensing of the operators, as well as taxation.
Legal Landscape
Sports betting is legal in Guinea and the activity is controlled. The main regulatory framework includes:
- Presidential Decree No. 028/2000: States LONAGUI’s exclusivity in some types of gambling including land-based lotteries, keno, scratchcards, and horse race betting through the French PMU.
- Casino Gambling Law: Regulation 5 Casino operators are prohibited from operating unless they hold a permit from Ministry of Economy, Finance and Planning. Gambling tax has to be paid by casinos and the management of these casinos is done by private entities.
Guinea Bookmakers Licensing and Fees
The Ministry of Economy and Finance regulates the gambling in Guinea and they are the ones who issue gambling licenses. Information on specific licensing fees are not published but there are certain conditions that the operators have to meet in order to keep their licenses.
Taxation
Unfortunately, information on the taxation rates on gambling activities in Guinea is rather scarce. Gambling taxes may be sourced from the Ministry of Economy and Finance hence players and operators should contact the ministry for the most recent information.
Guinea Sports Betting: An Institution of Cultural Reference
Football is the most prevalent game in Guinea and the national team known as the Syli Nationale is dear to the people of Guinea. They have never made it to the FIFA World Cup but they have made it to the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 and they again qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019.
Prominent Athletes in Guinea
Guinea has produced some of Africa’s greatest footballers, including:
- Naby Keita: A midfielder for Liverpool fc, considered one of the best players in the world.
- Ibrahima Conte: Has had a playing career in several European clubs and is well known for his part in the football world.
Beyond football, Guinea has also excelled in other sports:
- Mamadou Gueye: An Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles events in 1984 Olympics.
- Mory Kante: He is the long jump gold medalist at the 1988 Olympics.
Sports Betting Scene
The sports betting landscape in Guinea includes various legal forms of gambling:
- Sports Betting: Legal operators provide both, the conventional and the virtual sports betting services.
- Casino Games: Including poker, slots, and card and table games.
- Online Lottery: Operated under the same legal conditions as the regular lotteries, the interactive gambling.
Sporting Event Glory Milestones
- 1976: This paper focuses on the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations and comes to a conclusion that Guinea is the runner up.
- 1984: Mamadou Gueye gets a gold medal in the 400m hurdles in the Olympics.
- 1988: Mory Kant, a man from Guinea wins the Olympic gold in the long jump event.
- 2015: National football team qualifies for the quarter finals of the Africa cup of Nations championship.
- 2019: Guinea to be at the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 2008.
Conclusion
The sports betting industry in Guinea is flourishing, thanks to the nation’s history of engage in the activity and rules that govern it. Due to the enthusiastic population and the devotion to sports, the further development of Guinea sports betting is possible.
Therefore, it is important to get to know the legal environment of sports betting in Guinea and to inform about changes in the regulation. Whether you are a high net worth person or a business person, the Guinea bookmakers’ world holds a lot of opportunities that are yet to be discovered.
FAQ of Guinea Bookmakers
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