Best Gambia Betting Sites

The Republic of The Gambia is a -relatively- small country in West Africa. It is next to Senegal, which totally surrounds it; apart from its western part, which meets the Atlantic Ocean. It gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1965. Locals love sports, especially wrestling, which is like the national sport here; and of course football, with many fans gathering at sports cafes to watch the Premier League and other top competitions.

Gambling in Gambia has been very popular throughout the years, until 2015; that was when the government banned all gambling activity, “to prevent youth from becoming a generation of addicts”. Yet in 2017, the new president issued an executive order to reopen the gambling market. The Gambia bet scene is thriving again nowadays; and in the absence of a specific set of regulations, the online sector is very active too, with many international operators accepting local bettors.

Best Betting Sites in Gambia

Despite not having locally licensed bookies, there is a vast array of international operators that accept local players, so we list the best bookmakers in Gambia, who stand out for the wide coverage of the biggest football leagues and for the various offers and special features they come with.

Bet Gambia - 5 Things to Know

• 1
  The 2015 ban on gambling has been removed, since 2017
• 2
  All forms of gambling are now legal in Gambia
• 3
  There are many bookmaker shops, and many online bookies accept local players
• 4
  No specific gambling authority operates in the country
• 5
  There are many scam African online bookmakers; avoid them by sticking to the ones we list

General info

⏩Population: 2.200.000

⏩Active players: 300.000

⏩Currency: Dalasi (GMD)

⏩Regulated gambling products: Sports betting, casino, lotteries

⏩Operator types: Lottery, casinos, bookmaker shops, unlicensed online bookies & casinos

⏩Designated authority: The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) only supervises the sector

⏩Status: Semi-regulated

Online Betting in Gambia: The Law Framework

Gambling in Gambia is legal in all its forms, however, it was not like that before. In 2015, there was a total ban applied to the whole sector. Locals are rather conservative, and gambling was seen -and sometimes still is- as a form of making the youngsters lazy. Casinos and bookmaker shops were closed, and lotteries stopped offering tickets.

Yet, in 2017, a presidential decree came to overthrow that decision and reopen all gambling facilities. New president Adam Barrow took that decision as part of government plans to create more jobs for young people and also to try and make Gambia an attractive tourist destination.

The Gambia gambling industry is one of the highest employers in the country. The industry returns millions in taxes to the state and offers many decent jobs, too. There is still no specific law framework, though, and no gambling laws in place. Obviously, the online betting sector is unregulated too. Despite that, it is totally legitimate to bet online.

Authorities treat it as being legal, and there is no need to hide it in any way. Bear in mind, though, that, in the absence of a licensing system, players must be careful, so avoid any dodgy online bookies and stick to reputable, legitimate ones. The easiest way to do so is by picking any of the Gambia bookmakers we list.

Essential Info for Bettors

All forms of gambling have been legal since 2017. Gambia online gambling is very popular; and despite not being properly regulated, players do not face any restrictions on behalf of the state. What is very important, though, in the absence of a supervising authority, is to bet at legitimate bookies.

Without a licensing system in place, there are numerous scam sites out there that players must avoid, simply because, if any problem arises, there will be no one to turn to to resolve it. Thankfully, there is an easy way to keep away from such sites.

If you can’t easily recognize them and filter them out, simply take no risks; by playing at any of the operators we list, which are all legitimate. There’s nothing else in particular to worry about when betting in Gambia; the market is still trying to find its footing, yet it runs smoothly, and it is legal.

How to Deposit at Online Bookies

Many local players already use bank transactions when betting online; the use of credit cards is also very common. Still, most betting sites in Gambia provide alternative payment methods, too, such as e-wallets like ecoPayz, which accept Gambian players and offer fast and reliable transactions.

They’re not anonymous, yet they manage to hide the nature of your transactions, which is very important here. Note that Skrill and Neteller do not operate in the country. Talking about anonymity, using a cryptocurrency does just that; however, internet penetration is still low. It’s never bad, though, to slowly familiarize yourself with cryptos when practising sports betting in Gambia.

Gambling Laws in Nearby Lands

⏩ Sierra Leone: Even though locals are not that keen on gambling in general, it is legal in all its forms. There are no specific laws at the moment to prevent betting companies in Sierra Leone from accepting registrations from players. 

⏩ Cape Verde: Gambling has been legally established since 2005, and its presence is closely tied to the tourist sector. In addition to traditional brick-and-mortar casinos, online gambling in Cape Verde is achieved via numerous operators who readily accept registrations.

⏩ Liberia: Back in 1982, Liberia was one of the pioneers when it came to regulating gambling. With the additional legislation of 2015, all types became perfectly legal. So, players are free to visit any of the top betting companies in Liberia they desire and place their wagers there. 

The Future of Betting in Gambia

The Gambia bet scene is relatively young. Despite that sounding strange, it’s the truth. It’s only a few years after all that the state has re-allowed for gambling to take place legally. As for the Gambia online betting enthusiasts, they already enjoy much freedom; the possibility of enjoying full regulation of the sector anytime soon would be a lucky guess.

Only a handful of reports are indicating such a development. However, there is a notion of reinforcing the poor state economy through taxing the sector; in that scope, it could pave the way towards proper regulation after all.