Is online gambling legal in Benin?
Status of online casinos, the regulator, the minimum age and where to get help, with our sources and the date we checked them.
Short answer
Online gambling is legal only through the LNB or a company authorised by decree. The LNB's current online products are lottery and sports betting, and its planned online casino platform had not been confirmed as launched in October 2026. The minimum age to gamble is 18.
Legal overview
Benin's gambling law is Law No. 2002-28 of 29 March 2004 on games of chance, money games and betting. Article 1 defines gambling broadly: lotteries, sports betting, horse racing, lotto, slot machines and any operation offered to the public that holds out the hope of a gain decided by chance. Article 2 prohibits all such games except where the law allows them. Article 3 lets a public industrial, commercial and social establishment run every form of gambling. That establishment is the Loterie Nationale du Bénin (LNB), whose statutes were approved by Decree No. 2011-268 of 2 April 2011 and which now operates as a company listed on the regional BRVM exchange. Under Article 4, private companies incorporated in Benin may run other gambling only with an authorisation granted by decree of the Council of Ministers.
Penalties are set in Article 6. The person in charge of a company that runs gambling without authorisation faces two to twelve months in prison and a fine of XOF 500,000 to 5 million. Anyone who sets up unauthorised money games in public places faces one to six months and XOF 50,000 to 500,000. Penalties double for repeat offences, and stakes and equipment are confiscated.
The law does not separate online from land-based play, so the LNB's mandate covers remote channels too. Online, the LNB currently sells its Loto 5/90 games through lnbloto.bj and takes sports bets through lnbpari.com. In May 2026 it reported that online games produced 68% of its revenue and said it was planning a single online platform covering casino games, betting and virtual games. Unregistered betting sites remain widespread, and the LNB has called enforcement against them slow.
| Status | Restricted market |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Loterie Nationale du Bénin / Ministry of Economy and Finance |
| Main law | Loi n° 2002-28 du 29 mars 2004 portant réglementation des jeux de hasard, d'argent et de paris en République du Bénin (Law on games of chance, money games and betting); Décret n° 2011-268 du 2 avril 2011 portant approbation des statuts de la Loterie Nationale du Bénin (Decree approving the LNB statutes) |
| Licensing model | Benin has a state operator monopoly: the LNB may run every form of gambling. Private Beninese companies may operate only with an authorisation granted by decree of the Council of Ministers. |
| Online casinos | Online gambling is legal only through the LNB or a company authorised by decree. The LNB's current online products are lottery and sports betting, and its planned online casino platform had not been confirmed as launched in October 2026. |
| Enforcement | Unauthorised gambling is punishable under Article 6 of Law 2002-28 with prison, fines and confiscation. We found no official source on blocking of foreign websites or payments, and the LNB reported more than ten illegal sites in a single quarter. |
| Minimum age | 18 years |
| Currency | XOF |
| Self-exclusion scheme | Not disclosed |
| Last checked | October 25, 2026 |
FAQ
Who can legally offer gambling in Benin?
The Loterie Nationale du Bénin may run all forms of gambling under Law 2002-28 of 2004. Private Beninese companies need an authorisation by decree of the Council of Ministers.
Can I bet online legally in Benin?
Yes, through the LNB's online lottery (lnbloto.bj) and sports betting (lnbpari.com) channels, or through an operator authorised by decree.
What is the minimum gambling age in Benin?
The LNB states that games of chance are strictly reserved for people aged 18 and over.
Sources
This overview is editorial information, not legal advice. Laws change; the regulator's own publications are binding.