Luanda, June 18, 2026 (Lusa) - Angola’s gambling regulator, the Instituto de Supervisão de Jogos (ISJ), has set in motion institutional procedures to immediately block the online platform ‘PalancaBet’ on the grounds of illegal activity, the regulator announced on Thursday.
In a statement, the ISJ said it had become aware of the unauthorised operation of this gambling platform within the country and had therefore instructed the Communications Institute (Inacom) to block the domains and subdomains associated with this illegal site.
According to the ISJ, the entity operating the PalancaBet platform does not hold any licence, authorisation or registration issued by this body responsible for regulating, supervising and monitoring gambling activities, “and therefore its operations are outside the law and constitute the offence of illegal gambling”.
“The operation of gambling, lotteries and online games is not freely permitted; it constitutes a regulated activity, the operation of which by private entities is subject to the prior granting of a licence or concession by the Angolan State, in accordance with Article 4 of the Gambling Activities Act (LAJ), approved by Law No. 17/24 of 28 October”, the statement reads.
The regulatory body further stated that the operation of this platform fails to ensure the implementation of security mechanisms, consumer protection or personal data protection, whilst also facilitating access to gambling by minors, in clear violation of protection regulations and the express prohibition.
“The failure to submit to this institute’s regulatory and supervisory powers calls into question the transparency of operations and nullifies any institutional guarantee regarding the fairness of the games or the actual payment of any prizes, thereby exposing users to serious financial losses without adequate legal protection,” the statement reads.
In an appeal to the public to refrain from using the platform or other gambling websites that do not hold a valid licence, the ISJ has provided details of the channels for verifying the legitimacy of gambling operators in Angola or for reporting illegal practices, via email at correspondencia.isj@minfin.gov.ao.
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