Togo is a little but active country located in West Africa and has a culture closely related to sports and gambling. On a total area of 22,000 square miles, it is one of the smallest countries in the region. Nevertheless, the love for sports and the sport that captures the attention of the nation’s population most, football, is immense. This article is dedicated to the analysis of the legal peculiarities of gambling in Togo with the focus on Togo bookmakers, sports betting and the general legal framework of these activities.
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Table of Contents
Summary of Key Events
History of Togo Gambling Laws
Early Developments
- 1960: Togo become a self-governing state and got its independence from France. It is, however, difficult to determine the legal position of gambling especially during the early post in independence years.
- 1966: The first country to make gambling legal was. Thus, Decree No. 66-81 allowed lotteries and other similar activities, which led to the creation of the Loterie Nationale Togolaise or LONATO.
- 1989: The regulation of gambling was taken over by LONATO with the ordinance N°80-29 of 1989.
- 2006: An interministerial decree (No. 004/MEFP/MATD/MS/MDPRDAC/CAB) enabled LONATO to grant licenses to the private companies for starting the business and therefore Lydia Ludic, an African gambling company, entered into the Togolese market.
Regulatory Agencies and Licensing
Loterie Nationale Togolaise (LONATO) is the chief governing body that regulates gambling in the country of Togo. LONATO was formed in 1966 and was later empowered in 1989, LONATO’s main functions include; issuing of licenses and regulation of the sector. This entails the enforcement of laws, regulation of gambling activities and the regulation of licensing of private entities.
Licensing and Fees
The 2006 interministerial decree facilitates the licensing process:
- License Types: It is legal to operate in various forms of gambling such as lotteries, sports betting, and casinos among others.
- Fees: The general licensing fees depend on the type and size of the gambling operation and the details of the specific case are agreed with LONATO.
Taxation on Gambling
Gambling Taxes
In accordance with the 2006 interministerial decree, gambling activities are subject to tax:
- Gambling Tax: A standard rate of 10% of all revenues for all regions and types of gambling.
- Corporate Tax: Standard corporate tax rate of 27 percent that pertains to gambling companies.
- Player Winnings: The taxation for the players on their gambling winnings is not clearly stated.
Allowed Bets and Prohibited Bets
Togo-based bookmakers work under the provisions of LONATO. The framework seeks to achieve equity, openness, and the safeguarding of the players.
Allowed Bets
- Sports Betting: The most widespread type of gambling which is associated with a vast number of sports, while football is of the most interest.
- Lotteries: Governed mainly by LONATO lotteries continue to be one of the main forms of gambling readily available in Togo.
- Slot Machines and Video Poker: Supplied by companies like Lydia Ludic which provide many options of the electronic games.
Prohibited Bets
Unlicensed Online Gambling: As of this writing, the Togolese government neither allows the licensing of online sportsbooks or casinos, thus, legal gambling is only allowed in physical casinos and authorized websites.
Prominent Bookmakers
Lydia Ludic and LONATO are two companies that control the Togolese gambling market with numerous betting choices and establishments. Lydia Ludic, for instance, is involved in running about fifty gaming facilities with video poker and slot machines.
Betting Infrastructure
Like most African countries, Togo has a close relationship with France; it has a deal with PMU permitting the Togolese to wager on French races through a separate pool. Such partnership highlights the role of horse racing as one of the significant forms of betting in the local gambling space.
Sports Betting and Togo Bookmakers
The Increase in Sports Betting.
Football betting alone is widely practices in Togo and other sports betting activities are also common in the country. The culture of the nation in as much as to do with sports is also a big factor that contributes to the gambling activity due to the high involvement of the population in betting on sporting activities both local and international.
Sporting Event Glory Milestones
Togo’s history in sports is rich and diverse, contributing to the vibrant betting scene:
- 2006: Togo got to the FIFA World Cup that made football the most popular sport in the country.
- 2008: Benjamin Boukpeti brought Togo its first ever Olympic medal in kayaking in Beijing Summer Games.
- 2017: This was due to the national football team that clinched the African Nations Cup title thus increasing the sports betting frenzy.
- 2019: Togo athlete, Benjamin Azamati, won a bronze medal in the 200m event at the just ended African Games
- 2022: The national basketball team for instance won several medals at the African Games and proved that Togo is a force to reckon with in different sports.
Conclusion
The subject of gambling in Togo can be discussed in terms of historical evolutions, legal frameworks and the country’s passion for sports. The country’s bookmakers are one of the main drivers of the betting market, giving the population a choice of legal gambling services. Currently, Togo is a country that is in the process of development and, at the same time, it remains devoted to the idea of establishing a proper and legal system of gambling.
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