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Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) opposition politician and leader of the Envol political party, Delly Sesanga, has come out against the government’s fiscal direction in its gambling sector reform.
In a statement made public on Friday, September 4, 2026, Sesanga called for the abolition of the 10% ad valorem tax on players’ winnings, warning that excessive tax pressure could push bettors toward illegal platforms.
He also argued that the tax effort should target operators more than bettors. “The state must tax the activity, not your earnings,” he said, while backing better regulation of the sector, the identification of operators, and the fight against illegal activities.
He proposed using the Produit Brut des Jeux (PBJ), or GGR, as the tax base. This represents the difference between stakes collected and winnings paid to players. “A deposit is not income. A withdrawal is not a benefit. A movement of money is not necessarily a creation of wealth,” he argued, according to local news outlet MediaCongo
Senaga warns that weak revenue might not be tied to poor taxation alone
In an Ouragan report, Sesanga argued that low public revenue from gambling may not point to weak taxes at all. He said it could instead come from illegal operators, under-reporting, fraud, and holes in how rules are enforced and money is collected.
His comments landed days after the Finance Ministry warned operators against answering payment demands, tax notices, or inspections from services without legal authority in the sector.
The ministry said the General Directorate of Administrative, Judicial, State Property and Participation Revenues (DGRAD) had been told to find and cancel irregular payment notices. Those who fail to comply could face administrative, disciplinary or criminal sanctions.
The warning came after an August dispute over who regulates gambling. On August 21, the Ministry of Sports and Leisure announced a nationwide inspection of operators. Six days later, the Finance Ministry said gambling and lottery oversight belonged only to it, pointing to the December 2025 presidential ordinance and the Finance Law.
The government has put the Congolese gambling sector at more than US$1.6bn. Sesanga did not dispute the figure, but asked what it actually stands for, player deposits, total stakes, winnings paid out or GGR. He argued that getting the right economic measure matters before settling on a tax base.
He also raised concerns about the planned centralised monitoring system (CMS). He called for more transparency around its financing, technical provider, and contractual arrangements. The former MP also warned against a possible fee linked to the monitoring mechanism for gaming activities, especially if it were calculated on deposits and withdrawals.
