The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Sports and Leisure announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding for a public-private partnership with Burundi’s East African General Trade Company (EAGT). This partnership aims to modernise the oversight of the gambling and sports betting sector, a rapidly expanding field in the country.

According to the Ministry, EAGT will implement a centralised digital monitoring system. This system will connect operators’ platforms to transmit real-time reports to the Congolese state. The initiative seeks to bolster sector transparency, enhance tax collection (especially the 10% tax on bettors’ winnings) and combat tax fraud.

While no specific timeline has been set for implementation, a pilot phase is planned for Kinshasa. An interministerial commission will rigorously supervise this pilot to ensure robust oversight by public authorities. EAGT will fully cover the project’s initial funding, with repayment staggered based on generated revenues, thereby avoiding any immediate pressure on state finances.

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This project is part of a broader push to regulate the sector. In 2023, during a Council of Ministers meeting, former Finance Minister Nicolas Kazadi revealed that 139 illegal operators were active in 2022, with no available data on their revenues. Tax collections that same year reached only one billion Congolese francs, a level deemed very low compared to the sector’s real potential.

Faced with this situation, the government had considered creating a regulatory authority equipped with a digital tracking system. Projections at the time suggested such a reform could generate over $100 million annually (280 billion Congolese francs at the current dollar value), solely from the tax applied to bettors’ stakes.

Burundi offers a successful example. In June 2024, N-Soft introduced a similar system there. According to the Director General of Burundi’s National Lottery, this system led to a dramatic 552% increase in the sector’s tax revenues.

Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has today announced that its market leading portfolio of games are now available with the Goldrush group brands in South Africa.

The news underlines the strength of Play’n GO’s position in the burgeoning African iGaming market and will see Goldrush’s players enjoy such global hits as Book of Dead, Fire Joker and Rise of Olympus 100.

Already known for its acclaimed content across the world, the new partnership that covers both the Goldrush and Gbets brand signals Play’n GO intent on being a major force on the African continent.

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The Goldrush Group is one of the more storied names in gaming in South Africa, with more than 20 years of heritage in the brand that now includes iGaming and a large retail presence.

James Baxandall, Head of Regional Sales Africa for Play’n GO, said: “The Goldrush Group have been a first-class operator for many years and I’m really excited to bring our game portfolio to their players. I have no doubt that globally recognised classics such as Book of Dead will perform exceptionally well with their player base. This is a partnership that I expect to grow for many years to come.”

Peter Amblianities, Head of Marketing at Goldrush Group, added: “Goldrush is excited to partner with yet another world class gaming provider in Play’n GO to bring our valued customers even more slots to enjoy on Goldrush.co.za. Epic new slots titles to Feel the Rush on include Honey Rush, Rise of Olympus, Perfect Gems and much, much more! We look forward to exceptional growth with Play’n GO.”

The African Lotteries Association (ALA) has convened two major gatherings in Abidjan from June 23 to 25, 2025, bringing together Directors General of African lotteries and their delegations for a pivotal week of dialogue, training and strategic alignment.

On June 24, ALA hosted a high-level seminar at the Azalaï Hotel in Marcory, themed “Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity.” This timely session explored the evolving role of AI in the gaming and lottery industries, while spotlighting strategies to combat rising cybersecurity threats. Leaders from across the continent shared insights on innovation, operational efficiency and risk mitigation in an increasingly digital landscape.

The seminar was opened by Mr. Doumbia Fassery, Vice President of ALA and Director General of PMU Mali, representing Mr. Dramane Coulibaly, President of ALA and Director General of LONACI. The event also saw strong participation from ALA member executives, including Mr. Abdoulkarim Ouattara, Deputy Director General of LONACI, along with members of the ALA Board of Directors.

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The week’s activities culminated on June 25 with ALA’s Annual General Assembly—also at the Azalaï Hotel—where members reviewed key achievements, adopted new resolutions and strengthen inter-member collaboration to advance the Association’s mission across the continent.