Situated on the west coast of Central Africa, Equatorial Guinea is one of the newest independent republics of the African continent. President Teodoro Obiang has ruled the country since 1979 and is currently the second-longest serving dictator in Africa. Football is the most popular sport in the nation, with Equatoguinean footballers playing in Europe, like Pedro Obiang at West Ham United or Emilio Nsue at Apollon Limassol. Equatorial Guinea gave the world impressive athletes, like runner Benjamin Enzema and swimmer Eric Moussambani.
Despite being an independent nation for 52 years, Equatorial Guinea didn’t focus too much on passing laws to regulate the domestic gambling environment. Law Number 2/1995 is the only piece of legislation referring to gambling in Equatorial Guinea. However, it does not apply to land-based or online betting but only to land-based casinos. With no legal framework, there are no local betting sites in Equatorial Guinea. Therefore, punters opt for international bookmakers like 1xBet, 888sport and Vbet.
Best Betting Sites in Equatorial Guinea
Punters in the country can access any online bookmaker accepting players from this region. So, we put together a list of the best betting sites Equatorial Guinea has to offer, picking the ones with the highest odds, a Spanish interface and a vast selection of football betting markets.
Betting in Equatorial Guinea - 5 Things to Know
- 1 There are no laws focusing on land-based or online betting
- 2 There are no local online bookmakers
- 3 Online bookies offering their services in Equatorial Guinea are not taxed
- 4 There are very few online payment methods for local punters
- 5 The Internet penetration rate is around 20%. However, online gambling is unregulated
General info
⏩Population: 1.300.000
⏩Active players: 250.000
⏩Currency: Central African Franc (CFA)
⏩Regulated gambling products: No regulated gambling products
⏩Operator types: Unlicensed online bookies & casinos, land-based casinos, online lottery
⏩Designated Authority: No designated gambling authority
⏩Status: Unregulated
Online Gambling in Equatorial Guinea
The only law on gambling in Equatorial Guinea is the Law of ‘Juegos de Recreo y de Azar’, which came into effect in 1995. It does not, however, apply to land-based or online betting. Regulating the activity of land-based casinos and lotteries, this law transforms the lottery environment into a monopoly by granting one operator with exclusive rights in the country.
Law No. 4/2005 came with amendments to the original 1995 act. However, the Equatorial Guinea online betting environment is still ignored by the authorities. Land-based casinos are regulated and can function based on a license issued by the Ministro de Cultura, Turismo y Francofonia, a ministry with no authority when it comes to bookmakers.
Since the market is not regulated, punters in Equatorial Guinea are free to place their bets on any online bookmaker operating in the country. The lack of betting laws does not provide a framework for issuing licenses. Under these conditions, the state can’t apply any restrictions and this provides local punters with many options when it comes to placing their bets.
Essential Information for Bettors
The complete absence of a legal framework means you don’t have to worry about paying any taxes or fees for your online betting winnings. We’ve already mentioned the benefit of being able to choose from a wide list of international bookmakers.
You’ll also be happy to know that the vast majority of these bookies offer their websites in Spanish. The USD is also commonly used by locals at online sportsbooks.
Bet in Equatorial Guinea: Deposits and Withdrawals
Most transactions in Equatorial Guinea are made using cash. Only a small percentage of the population can access online payment methods such as VISA cards, issued by either BANGE, Societe Generale, or BGFI.
The country is also included in the non-serviced countries list of the most popular e-wallets (Skrill & Neteller) used for online betting. Punters who choose to top-up their accounts using debit/credit cards, or international money transfer services, are free to do so since there are no payment restrictions on behalf of the government.
Gambling Regulations in Neighbouring Lands
⏩ Gambia: Gambling was a pastime activity until 2015, when the government banned it to prevent addiction. However, in 2017, a new president was elected, and he reopened the market. Today, the online scene is flourishing; players can have their pick over hundreds of Gambia betting sites.
⏩ Cape Verde: Gambling in the country correlates with the tourist industry and has been legal since 2005. Besides the land-based casinos, gambling in Cape Verde is easily done through online operators who willingly accept registrations.
⏩ Spain: In 2011, the government implemented the Gambling Act, which marked a comprehensive regulation of the gambling industry within the country. This legislation allowed new operators to apply for and acquire local licenses. Moreover, it is worth noting that winnings up to €2,500 from the best betting sites in Spain are not subject to taxation.
The Future of Online Betting in Equatorial Guinea
Players are free to enjoy international betting sites. However, no state efforts are made towards improving or even regulating the betting market and no licensing system is in place either. The future of sports betting in Equatorial Guinea is uncertain as it stands.
Nevertheless, with an increasing trend of online betting regulation in the African continent, Equatorial Guinea could be joining too. Until an actual legal initiative is set in motion, the local market won’t be attracting any major betting companies.
There is no legal framework covering online betting in the country. Yet, there are no restrictions in place and the absence of laws allows punters to place their bets on any online bookmaker they want.
1xBet is among the operators who will gladly accept players from the famous Central African country. Make sure to check for daily offers and their great welcome bonus. For more info, follow our 1xbet sportsbook review.
With many betting sites accepting players from Equatorial Guinea, 888sport stands out. It provides Spanish language, offers 40+ sports to bet on and almost 10.000 sporting events per month.
The online betting environment falls under no law. There is no authority in place to block or restrict access to online bookies. Therefore, you can freely access any online bookmaker that accepts players from Equatorial Guinea.
Since there is no legal framework for online betting in place, you get to keep what you win. There is no tax at all that refers to online winnings.
Since there are no local bookmakers, when betting online you will always come across international bookmakers. Stick to the ones you are familiar with, big names like 888sport and 1xBet and your betting experience will be safe.