Egypt is preparing to introduce tougher measures against online betting through a comprehensive Digital Safety Law, which the government is expected to present to Parliament within approximately six weeks.
The latest timeline was announced on 1 November by Ahmed Badawi, Chair of the House of Representatives’ Communications and Information Technology Committee.
During an interview on Al-Hayat TV, Badawi raised concerns about the growing impact of betting applications, claiming that hundreds of thousands of Egyptians had fallen victim to fraudulent platforms. He said the applications were attracting users between the ages of 20 and 60, with some reportedly spending as long as 24 hours continuously on the platforms.
A revised legislative timeline
The proposed legislation has faced several delays. In May, Badawi had indicated that amendments to Egypt’s Cybercrime Law, Law No. 175 of 2018, would be submitted to Parliament within a month.
At the time, the proposed amendments were expected to introduce penalties of up to seven years’ imprisonment and fines reaching EGP500,000 for individuals creating applications intended for cybercrime activities.
However, the proposed amendments did not reach Parliament as anticipated.
Badawi has now indicated that the measures targeting online betting will form part of the broader Digital Safety Law rather than being pursued separately.
According to his remarks to Al-Nahar, the proposed legislation will incorporate changes to the existing Cybercrime Law, introduce regulations governing children’s access to social media and establish additional protections for adults against technology-related risks.
Focus shifts beyond betting platforms to intermediaries
The proposed law is expected to extend enforcement beyond the blocking of illegal betting websites and applications.
Badawi indicated that the government intends to hold betting brokers and their representatives operating within Egypt accountable. Individuals involved in advertising, promoting or facilitating access to these platforms could also fall within the scope of the legislation.
He noted that authorities had already restricted access to numerous betting applications, but operators continued finding ways around the restrictions by introducing replacement platforms.
Badawi pointed to the tougher provisions under the Cybercrime Law, including penalties that can reach life imprisonment, as an example of how stronger legislation could help combat digital offences. He attributed a significant reduction in electronic blackmail to the introduction of stricter penalties.
Authorities have already blocked dozens of betting applications
Before the proposed legislation, Egypt’s approach to online betting enforcement had largely centred on restricting access to illegal platforms.
In February, Badawi explained that his parliamentary committee was working alongside the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and the Supreme Council for Media Regulation to identify and block unauthorised betting applications.
By May, authorities reported that approximately 70 betting applications had already been blocked.
At the time, Badawi maintained that the forthcoming legislation would introduce stronger measures against those operating within the illegal betting ecosystem.
Digital safety legislation expands beyond gambling
The Digital Safety Law is part of a wider government initiative aimed at strengthening online protection, particularly for children and vulnerable internet users.
In early October, Badawi said the parliamentary committee intended to prioritise the legislation at the beginning of the new parliamentary session, with the aim of completing its work within a month.
The initiative initially gained momentum following concerns about children’s exposure to online risks. In September, the NTRA introduced