Angola has instituted a licensing period of thirty days to allow gambling operators to commence their operations and become compliant with the new gambling activity law that the nation has imposed in order to regulate gambling in the country.
The initiative was communicated by the Instituto de Supervisão de Jogos (ISJ) and is part of an effort at reforming the current regulatory framework, licensing system in Angola. The new licensing will replace the previous system characterized by issuance of one year licenses to gambling operators with licenses that will now be valid for a period of ten years.
The move to grant gambling operators a chance to apply for licenses came after the ISJ had suspended the approval of new gaming activity licenses in the country as it worked on its review of the market and development of regulations for the gaming sector. During the period that the ISJ was developing the regulations for the gaming sector, the organization extended the expiry dates of licenses for gaming operators.
New operators are expected to enter market through a public tender scheduled for fourth quarter of 2026. Online licence fees are estimated to range from US$7,000 to US$14,000, while land-based licences are expected to cost US$20,000. Applicants will also need to provide bank guarantees of between US$50,000-400,000.
The reforms aim to strengthen oversight, improve player protection and align Angola with international regulatory standards.
