The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is taking decisive steps to centralise the regulation and oversight of its gambling sector, as part of a broader effort to tighten control over the industry’s rapid growth.
On 30 May officials from the Ministry of Finance outlined plans to implement a new gambling monitoring platform aiming to enhance supervision of gaming operations across the country.
Didier Bobwa, who heads information systems and monitoring of gaming activities within the ministry, announced the initiative during a press briefing in Kinshasa, per Radio Okapi.
Despite estimates suggesting iGaming operators have generated nearly $1.7 billion in annual revenue since legislation was passed, the country’s coffers have reportedly received only around $1 million in taxes.
Finance ministry moves to close oversight gaps
Bobwa stated that the government was in the process of integrating a gambling monitoring platform that would make it possible to control the operations and activities of gaming operators.
This centralised system is intended to equip the government’s Gambling Monitoring Unit with advanced technical capabilities to track the gambling market more closely and comprehensively nation-wide.
The reforms reflect growing concerns about the social and financial risks linked to the gambling sector. Bobwa highlighted that issues such as mounting personal debt, gambling addiction, money laundering and the involvement of minors had prompted authorities to seek stricter oversight.
The market’s current opacity underscores the urgency. Industry insiders have suggested the sector had previously operated largely on a declaration basis, with operators self-reporting revenues and the state only having limited means of verification.
Dieudonné Ntumba, coordinator of the Gambling Monitoring Unit, has called for closer cooperation with gambling operators to promote fair competition while combating financial crime, according to Actualite.cd.
FATF pressure drives push for unified framework
The DRC’s government is simultaneously preparing a new legal framework for the gambling industry, which will aim to modernise existing regulations and strengthen fiscal control mechanisms.
This regulatory overhaul is partly driven by the need to align the DRC’s gambling market with wider anti-money laundering obligations.
The country currently faces international pressure linked to its Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey-list status, requiring more robust systems to prevent illicit financial flows.
Observers have previously warned that without a single unified regulator and a credible central monitoring system, the DRC risks significant fiscal revenue continuing to slip through its fingers. Industry stakeholders, including PixLab RDC, have welcomed the government’s efforts.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/dr-congo-plans-centralised-gambling-monitoring-platform/
