Mauritania reviews draft law to ban gambling and electronic betting

Mauritania's government has reviewed draft legislation that would prohibit gambling and electronic betting, including services offered through digital platforms. The proposal remains under review, and no timetable has been announced for submitting it to Parliament.

The initial draft was examined at a meeting on 1 October, where the focus was on ways to counter gambling and betting activity and on strengthening cooperation among the government bodies that would enforce the rules. Prime Minister El Moctar Ould Djay then instructed the relevant ministries and agencies to do further work on the proposal. A week later, officials gathered once more to continue the consultation, this time under the supervision of Mohamed Abdallah Ould Louli, the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Employment, Sports and Civil Service.

Participants considered the oversight, application and control of betting and gambling in the event the bill proceeds. Their discussions also took in such activity on digital platforms and media channels. Another topic was the allocation of duties among government departments and other bodies engaged in prevention, supervision and enforcement.

Legal, technical and religious matters are due to be examined during the review, which comes ahead of a fuller draft of the bill. Ould Louli asked for more consultation and for the feedback gathered to be studied further.

The review comes after Ould Louli spoke in September, saying that a law to prohibit gambling games and online betting was in preparation. He tied the plan to worries about how internet-based activities affect children and young people, making youth protection central to the government's plans.

Laws aimed at gambling already exist in Mauritania, though the extent to which the new bill would exceed the current framework is not clear. Existing rules set penalties for those who operate gambling venues or run lotteries without authorisation. Prison terms and financial penalties can both be imposed on offenders under the legislation in force. Online betting and gambling on digital platforms, however, are not clearly covered by the provisions available.

It is still unknown precisely what changes the proposed law would make to the present system, which activities it might add or which new penalties it could bring in. During the consultation, officials addressed online betting and gambling through digital channels, which suggests the draft may set out clearer rules for those areas.