Legal Betting in Benin

Introduction

Betting has also been flourishing in Benin, with a growing zeal for sports, especially football, and interest in gambling. As a West-African country with a flourishing socio-economic environment, Benin accommodates a largely land-based betting industry which forms part of urban spaces. In this article, we will explore whether gambling in Benin is legal, an overview of popular websites and offline establishments, betting options, and an overview concerning the industry regulations. It also examines the socio-economic background of the betting sphere, its challenges and prospects for the future, presenting a detailed introduction to the world of betting.

Betting is legal in Benin

Gambling in Benin is made legal according for the law No. 2006-12, which concerns gambling in touch using the ground as the casinos, in which it is integrated, lotteries and sports gambling. This is the law upon which licensed operators can offer gambling services in the entire country. In 2025, the government issued Law No. 2024-34 of Finance Act 2025 providing for a two-tier tax system for gambling, a 10% tax on the gross turnover of land-based gambling and 25% tax on online gambling. The move is a big step toward regulating online gambling — a field previously left unregulated because of the lack of internet capabilities.

Law No. 2006-12 mainly concerns the operations carried out by land, and Law No. 2024-34 extends the regulatory framework for online platforms, but its application is hindered by low internet penetration, especially in rural areas. Inspections are made by the National Lottery Authority and the Ministry of Finance and Economy in a bid to monitor compliance, with operators required to fulfil licensing and tax requirements. The government has even stepped up recently efforts to stamp out illegal betting shops, especially in the towns around the capital, Cotonou, to ensure greater transparency on the market and to protect consumers.

Well Known Businesses

For its part, the betting market is dominated by land-based betting shops, which are concentrated in the main urban centers, such as Cotonou and Porto-Novo, and have increasingly spread in secondary cities, such as Parakou and Abomey. Top providers in the market are Premier Bet and Loterie Nationale du Bénin (LNB). Premier Bet has betting shops across the country, providing a sports betting service which has a focus on football that reflects the football-mad culture of Benin. A state-backed entity, LNB is concentrated on lotteries, and has branched into sports betting in a bid to take a larger slice of the market.

Land-based betting stations are strategically located around cities and in the suburbs within places of high density, including markets and close to stadiums. They have TV screens in them so the punter can watch the action as soon as they’ve backed up their bet on the printed slip. This social function that these trading posts play is underscored by the vibrant scene - with punters and traders discussing the upcoming matches, betting strategies and even sharing a laugh - making these shops the local community hubs in these urban locations.

Types of Bets Available

There are a number of types of bets available to satisfy local tastes. Football fixed odds betting is the most popular kind of soccer wagering and it involves betting on the outcome of a match, the goal scorers or simply predicting the total number of goals. The popularity of betting is increasing, live betting or in-play betting has become popular recently, especially in recently opened online betting sites and in betting shops with modern graphic stations with online television guidance updating live scores. You can also usually find accumulators, which group multiple selections into one bet with the potential to result in higher payouts, or over/under bets, which require you to predict the total amount of points or goals will be over or under a certain amount. Lotteries, operated by LNB, are still a major contributor, providing a variety of draw-based games with large jackpots. Virtual betting has now been launched in urban outlets, indicating a growing appetite for alternative ways of betting.

List of Key Betting Regulations in Benin

Table: Overview of Betting Operators in Benin

Socio-economic background of betting among Beninese

The betting sector in Benin is situated within a socio-economic context characterised by a youthful, sports-loving population and a burgeoning urban middle class. Soccer has significant cultural status and betting activity regarding local and international games as it pertains to soccer gets played a lot. Through betting offices, it is also a focus of social interaction in terms of gaming, exchanging of information, and bonding with local communities. The relatively low size of the bet (usually between $2 and $5) mirrors the ease of gambling for city dwellers. But there are also major issues to be dealt with - namely a potential gambling addiction and the large numbers of illegal bookmakers to be found in rural areas - and that's why strict regulations and education of the public is necessary to truly ensure responsible betting.

Challenges and Outlook

There are a number of challenges in the betting market in Benin, such as a lack of regulation in online gambling and illegal operators still in the territory. Limited penetration of the internet, especially in rural areas, also holds back digital betting so that physical shops remain king. However, its attempts to implement Law No. 2024-34 and rid the streets of illegal shops are a clear sign that the government is making an effort to maintain a sense of order in the marketplace. Mobile betting apps and digital payment systems could also open up access for urban youth, as loyalty programs by operators help keep customers hooked. So it’s not hard to envision a more organized and democratic betting market, exploiting modern technology, emerging as the way forward, and it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect ~30-40M dollars in annual revenues, in line with the economic magnitude of the sector.

Conclusion

The state of gambling in Benin is regulated according to the Law No. 2006-12 and the recently enacted Law No. 2024-34 and is a thriving industry, well-inegrated in the social and economic life of the country. Operators including Premier Bet and LNB appeal to a nation of football enthusiasts, providing a variety of bet types in vibrant betting shops, which triple up as living room, social club and community centre. Despite some issues, including illegal operations and meager online regulation, the government’s new regulations point to a trending direction for a more transparent and stable state market. With Benin adopting new technologies and regulations, the betting sector looks set for further expansion, with a range of openings available to both betting operators and punters in this vibrant West African nation.