Best Burkina Faso bookmakers

Population: 22.000.000
Active players: 2.700.000
Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)
Regulated gambling products: Sports betting, casino, lotteries
Operator types: Lottery, casinos, bookmaker shops, unlicensed online bookies & casinos
Designated authority: No specific authority, only the Ministry of Finance
Status: Regulated

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Ghana and the Ivory Coast among others. Once was a French colony, from which it gained its independence in 1960 under the name of ‘Upper Volta’. French is the official language, although it’s not widely spoken; mainly because over 50 native languages exist in the country. Much political turbulence followed the independence, until late 2015; since then the country has experienced peace and relative stability.

Locals love sports and especially football. Ouagadougou also hosted the 1998 African Cup of Nations. Gambling in Burkina Faso is legal in all its forms, despite not having a complete regulatory framework. All entities must acquire a license from the ministry of finance in order to operate.

Sports betting in particular is also legal and monopolized by the national lottery, LONAB. This does not mean that this is the only option though; thankfully, for players who want to place an online bet, Burkina Faso allows most online bookies’ operation. So, they accept local punters, while providing a wide coverage of all major sports and markets.

Bet Burkina Faso - 5 things to know

• All forms of gambling are legal in Burkina Faso
• Online betting is legal, yet not regulated
• There are bookmaker shops, and many online bookies accept local players
• The national lottery is the only local operator offering some sports betting
• The legal Burkina Faso gambling age is 18

Burkina Faso best betting sites

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

Online betting in Burkina Faso under the local law framework

If we had to put a title here, that would be easy; because all forms of gambling in Burkina Faso are legal. Legislation covering the gaming scene began as early as 1967, a few years after the country’s independence. Ordinances no. 67025 of 1967 and no. 8443 of 1984, allowed the national lottery to offer sports betting in Burkina Faso. The 2008 and 2014 acts mainly added small amendments and details. The prevailing idea remains the same, there is nothing illegal in terms of gambling.

As for those who want to bet online, Burkina Faso does not disappoint. There is no law or act yet referring to the online environment; however, in its absence, it is not illegal either. Apart from the national lottery which could soon be offering some online betting, there are no locally licensed operators. There is no licensing procedure either, since the law does not cover that area yet. Still though, players may freely access any licensed online Burkina Faso bookmaker.

The Ministry of Finance is supervising the sector, without yet establishing a specific authority. Players should not fear prosecution since the state does not bother surveilling the-very low in terms of active users-internet. All in all, a very welcoming environment awaits players; as for international operators, they too have no fear of blocking or anything alike. Everything runs freely and smoothly, awaiting a possible future regulation.

Essential info for bettors

All forms of gambling are legal. Sports betting is very popular among locals, especially football. Despite not being regulated, players do not face any kind of restrictions when betting in Burkina Faso.

Apart from the monopolistic betting services of the national lottery, remember that there are many more online options; and an online bookmaker in Burkina Faso provides many more betting options than the land-based offering does. Both in terms of sports coverage, as well as special bets and offers.

In the absence of a gambling authority, however, it is very crucial to bet at legitimate operators. Without locally licensed sites, there are quite a few scam ones out there, which players must avoid; simply because, if a problem comes up, there will be no one to stake a claim at. Thankfully, there is an easy way out of this mess. If you can’t spot them, just take no risks; simply keep betting online in Burkina Faso with any of the operators we list; which are all totally legit, holding licenses from the most prevalent authorities worldwide.

How to deposit at online bookies

Naturally, since no form of gambling is illegal, bank transactions and credit cards are an everyday practice. Moreover, most Burkina Faso betting sites provide alternative payment methods; like e-wallets ecoPayz and Jeton, both accepting Burkinabé players. They’re offering fast and secure transactions and an easy to use interface. Skrill and Neteller on the other hand do not operate in the country.

As for the emerging crypto online gambling that many talk about; well, the low internet penetration does not allow much of this talk here. However, it’s always good getting to know new technologies and advances. And maybe one day, the Burkina Faso betting scene will catch up on that too.

Burkina Faso betting: what the future holds

Sports betting in Burkina Faso is very popular; it’s actually the most popular form of gambling among players. However, the turning point regarding the Burkina Faso online betting scene, would be a proper regulatory framework.

Despite the rather obvious need towards that direction, we can’t risk a prediction on that matter; simply because both online operators and the state seem to be ok with the situation as it stands. Taxes in favor of the state, and local licensing for operators, sounds like a win-win situation. Only time will show if both sides actually think the same as well.

The complete list of Burkina Faso online bookmakers

Regarding online gambling, Burkina Faso offers quite a few options. We list all the available bookmakers here, so that you can have them gathered all in one place. Do note that these are all totally legitimate bookmakers. Pick the ones you want and enjoy a safe betting journey all the way.