How to Start Your Own Sportsbook in the Republic of the Congo (2026 Guide) + Contact -

The Republic of the Congo—also known as Congo-Brazzaville—has recently created a much clearer legal framework for sports betting. Law No. 37-2024 formally covers physical and online sports betting, while a new gambling regulator was established in 2025.

This creates an opportunity, but opening an independently licensed sportsbook requires serious capital and a formal relationship with the state. For most entrepreneurs, the practical route is to start as an authorised agent or commercial partner, prove the customer network and expand from there.

If you know people who already bet on football and can bring them into a trusted local operation, you may already possess the most valuable part of the business: distribution.

Is the Republic of the Congo a Good Market for Sports Betting?

Congo-Brazzaville has a population of approximately 6.5 million and a strong urban concentration around Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. This makes the market smaller than several African alternatives, but it can also make local promotion more focused and relationship-driven.

Football provides the main betting product. European leagues, the UEFA Champions League, African club competitions, international tournaments and domestic football give customers events throughout the year. Basketball, tennis and virtual sports can add volume, but a new operation should first build its offer around the competitions local customers already follow.

The country is highly mobile. Congo recorded more than 6.23 million mobile subscribers in 2025, according to regulator ARPCE. Approximately 99.3% were prepaid.
Mobile money provides the bridge between interest and deposits. ARPCE’s 2026 dashboard reports around 3.7 million active mobile-money customers, representing penetration of approximately 55.8%. MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money are established services in the country.

Internet access is still developing. DataReportal estimated 2.46 million internet users at the beginning of 2025, equal to 38.4% penetration. A sportsbook must therefore be fast, simple and economical with mobile data rather than designed only for expensive smartphones and perfect connections.
The regional direction is positive. Africa’s online gambling market is forecast to grow by 6.6% annually between 2026 and 2035, while the sports-betting segment is projected to grow by 7.5% annually. Congo-Brazzaville’s new regulatory structure positions it to capture part of that growth.

Legal Requirements for Starting a Sportsbook in the Republic of the Congo

The legal position changed significantly with Law No. 37-2024 of 11 October 2024. The law expressly includes physical and online sports betting and places it within Category I of regulated gambling activities.
Law No. 1-2025 then created the Autorité de régulation des jeux de hasard et d’argent, known as ARJHA. The authority reviews applications, controls operators and technology, traces online transactions, audits activity and can order internet providers to block illegal gambling sites.

An independent sportsbook operator must obtain approval under the new framework. The law defines an operator as a public limited company with a board of directors and minimum fully paid capital of CFA 2 billion—approximately €3 million. It also requires the state to hold at least 10% of the company’s share capital.

The operator must demonstrate financial capacity, maintain funded bank accounts capable of covering player winnings and pass technical checks on its software, equipment and systems. Online operators must also enable regulatory monitoring and retain relevant player data on infrastructure located in the Republic of the Congo.
This means an offshore licence or a standard white-label contract does not automatically authorize a company to target Congolese players. Direct entry is a large, regulated investment rather than a low-cost startup route.

The law does, however, recognize vendors, commercial delegates and approved distribution networks. It also permits technical and commercial partnerships, although each partnership requires a non-objection opinion from ARJHA. This creates a realistic route for local network owners to work under an approved operator without pretending to hold an independent licence.

Taxes and public deductions are set through finance laws, and the 2024 framework states that online and virtual games must face higher public deductions than other gambling products. Obtain the current tax schedule, licence conditions and partnership requirements before accepting customers or handling money.

What You Need to Launch a Sportsbook

The first requirement is access to real adult bettors. A trusted football community, retail network, entertainment audience, group of local promoters or strong social-media reach can provide the starting point.
For most entrepreneurs, the lowest-risk model is an approved agent or commercial partnership. The licensed operator supplies the sportsbook platform, odds, player accounts, reporting and regulated payment structure. The local partner acquires customers, explains the product and builds trust.

This approach tests the network before major investment. The important numbers are registrations, first deposits, active bettors, betting frequency, repeat deposits and net gaming revenue. A person who consistently brings valuable customers can later manage additional agents as a master agent.

The sportsbook itself must be mobile-first and available in French. Registration, deposits, bet placement and withdrawals should remain simple on ordinary Android devices. Customer support should also understand local language, payment habits and common account problems.

The product should offer strong football coverage, competitive pre-match odds, live betting, cash-out and a clear bet history. Basketball, tennis and virtual sports can be added according to measured demand. The objective is not to display thousands of markets; it is to make the most popular markets reliable and easy to use.

MTN Mobile Money, Airtel Money, bank transfers and controlled cash-agent processes may all matter, subject to the operator’s licence and payment-provider approval. Fast deposits help acquisition, but dependable withdrawals create reputation and retention.

The backend must show customers, deposits, withdrawals, turnover, gross gaming revenue and agent performance. It must also support player verification, limits, fraud controls and responsible-gambling measures required by the new law.

How Much Does It Cost to Launch a Sportsbook?

The cost depends on the chosen level of control.
An authorised agent test may begin with less than €1,000 because the operating partner supplies the technology. The initial budget can be used for communication, customer support and small local promotions. This is the sensible route for someone who has contacts but has not yet proven their commercial value.
A wider network test may require €1,000 to €5,000 in marketing and operating funds. The budget should grow only when registrations turn into deposits and repeat betting.

A white-label sportsbook commonly costs approximately €10,000 to €30,000, while a more advanced turnkey platform can require €50,000 to €150,000 or more. In Congo-Brazzaville, these are technology and commercial estimates only. They do not replace the country’s licensing, capital, state-participation, tax or professional-service requirements.

An independent local operator must plan for at least CFA 2 billion in paid-up capital before considering the remaining setup costs. This makes direct licensing unsuitable for a small first project.

An agent setup can be prepared within days once the legal partnership and tracking structure are approved. A branded operation may take several weeks, while an independently licensed sportsbook will require a much longer regulatory and corporate process.

How We Help You Launch Successfully

VB iGaming helps entrepreneurs choose a market-entry model that matches their network, budget and level of experience.
If you know potential customers but do not have a platform, we can help identify an agent or commercial-partner route with an established operation. This allows you to test your ability to produce deposits and active bettors without paying for an unnecessary independent setup.

If the network performs, we can help structure a master-agent model, connect additional partners and establish clear reporting and commission rules. The strongest local partners can develop defined communities while the wider operation grows around measurable results.

For larger investors, we can help evaluate sportsbook platforms, odds providers, payment options, frontend requirements and operational tools. In Congo-Brazzaville, any provider or commercial agreement must be built around the local legal framework and the regulator’s approval process.

The objective is simple: use the smallest legal model that can prove demand, keep control of the customer data and scale when the numbers justify the next step.

Ready to Launch Your Sportsbook in the Republic of the Congo?

Congo-Brazzaville now has a modern law covering online sports betting, a dedicated regulator, more than six million mobile subscriptions and approximately 3.7 million mobile-money customers. The opportunity is real, but the correct entry route matters.

Most entrepreneurs should not begin by pursuing a CFA 2 billion independent operation. A capable network owner can start through an approved commercial partnership, prove the value of the customer base and build toward a larger position
If you can bring and retain adult bettors, we can evaluate what that network can become.

Contact us through the form below for more information. Tell us about your network, target area and what you want to build. We will evaluate the opportunity and identify the most practical route forward.

Interested in casino instead? Read our guide to starting an online casino in Republic of the Congo.

Research checked in September 2026. This article provides general business information and does not constitute legal advice. Gambling laws, licensing requirements, taxes, payment restrictions and advertising rules should be verified before entering the market.