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The National Lottery of Togo has begun enforcing a new tax rule that automatically deducts 5% from any prize worth CFA500,000 or more. Under the measure, a winning ticket at that threshold now triggers a CFA25,000 cut before payout, with the funds directed to the Togolese Revenue Office.
Lawmakers first examined the proposal in 2024 as part of wider fiscal reforms, and the government spent nearly two years preparing its rollout. Officials describe the levy as one of several tools designed to broaden the country’s tax base and strengthen revenue collection.
A wider regional trend
Togo’s new levy is in line with a broader West African trend, where countries have been moving to secure tax from their gambling markets.
Senegal took a bold step in 2025, introducing a 20% withholding tax on regulated gaming winnings. That measure, applied from November 1, covers both physical betting shops and online platforms.
Côte d’Ivoire had already gone down a similar path years earlier, setting a 7.5% tax on winnings above CFA1 million under its 2018 fiscal annex. Burkina Faso followed with its 2025 finance law, aiming to standardize gambling taxation at 5%, mirroring Togo’s rate.
Alongside these fiscal reforms, Niger is pushing in a different but related direction. Under Colonel Major Soumana Djibo, the National Lottery of Niger is preparing for a digital overhaul in 2026. After sharp revenue growth in recent years, up to FCFA97bn (€148m) in 2025, the operator plans to expand beyond its current online product, Parifoot, and bring more lottery games onto digital platforms.
As the region continues to evolve, challenges remain in enforcement and formalization. Togo’s parastatal lottery operator, LONATO, appears well placed to manage compliance, working closely with the national revenue office to reduce risks and keep the system aligned with broader goals.
Source: Togo First
