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LicenceNational Lottery Administration
TelebirrCBE BirrCash in shopM-Pesa
Best bookmakers in Ethiopia
Ethiopia licensed sports betting through its National Lottery Administration in the late 2010s and a local industry grew quickly around it: Hulu Sport, Abyssinia Bet, Vamos and the Kenyan-owned Betika hold licences, with betting shops in Addis Ababa and the regional cities. The state takes a withholding tax on winnings, and Telebirr moves the money. Here are the three that scored best in our tests with an Ethiopian account.
How betting works in Ethiopia
The National Lottery Administration licenses sports betting operators, who must be Ethiopian-registered companies with local shareholders, and publishes the list; foreign platforms cannot be licensed and are blocked intermittently, though 1xBet and its siblings accept Ethiopians through mirrors. Licensed sites verify identity with the national ID and the phone number and operate mostly through shops and agents, with online growing as Telebirr spreads.
A withholding tax on winnings above a small threshold is deducted by the operator at payout; the rate has been 15 percent and appears on the slip. Prices on the Premier League and the Ethiopian league sit around eight percent margin, wider than the international market. Payments are Telebirr, the state telecom’s wallet, CBE Birr from the Commercial Bank, M-Pesa Ethiopia since 2023 and cash at shops; withdrawals to Telebirr arrived within hours in our tests.
The three best betting sites in Ethiopia
Ranked by our test score. Hulu Sport and Betika hold Ethiopian licences; 1xBet accepts Ethiopians without one.
OfferWelcome bonus for new customers
LicenceNational Lottery Administration
TelebirrCBE BirrCash in shopM-Pesa
OfferFirst-deposit bonus, promo codes
LicenceCuraçao
TelebirrCBE BirrUSDTVisa
The three, in short
Hulu Sport
The largest Ethiopian brand, with shops across the country, an Amharic and English site, a football-first menu and Telebirr withdrawals within hours in our test. Prices lead the local market.
Betika
The Kenyan brand’s Ethiopian arm, licensed locally, with a light app built for slow connections, competitive prices on the Premier League and Telebirr in and out within hours.
1xBet
1xBet accepts Ethiopians on its English and Amharic sites with birr accounts, the widest menu available in the country, Telebirr and crypto; no licence, no recourse, and domains that change.
Other tested operators that accept Ethiopian players
All accept Ethiopians through mirror domains; none holds an Ethiopian licence.
OfferFirst-deposit match, promo codes
LicenceCuraçao
TelebirrCBE BirrUSDTVisa
OfferFirst-deposit match
LicenceCuraçao
TelebirrCBE BirrUSDTVisa
OfferFirst-deposit match
LicenceCuraçao
TelebirrCBE BirrUSDTVisa
Payment methods that work in Ethiopia
Telebirr is the everyday method on the licensed sites; cash at shops; crypto on the international platforms.
TelebirrCBE BirrM-Pesa EthiopiaCash in shopUSDT
Frequently asked questions
Is online betting legal in Ethiopia?
Yes, with operators licensed by the National Lottery Administration; foreign sites are blocked intermittently.
Are winnings taxed?
A withholding tax is deducted by the operator on winnings above a threshold.
Which international brands are licensed?
None of our twenty-two; Betika from Kenya holds a local licence.
How do I deposit?
Telebirr, CBE Birr, M-Pesa Ethiopia or cash at a shop.
Rankings on this page come from our tests with a real account opened in the country. Some links are affiliate links; sponsored boxes are labelled and never affect the order.