East Timor Moves to Revoke Online Gambling Licences Amid Security Fears

The government of Timor-Leste (East Timor) has approved a Council of Ministers resolution that revokes all existing licences for online gambling and betting, halts current licensing procedures, and prohibits the issuance of any new licences. The resolution, introduced by Minister Agio Pereira, cites concerns over national security, social stability, economic integrity, and the country’s international reputation as key justifications for the sweeping regulatory action.

This decision comes in the wake of warnings from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which flagged the Oecussi enclave as a potential entry point for organized illicit online gambling and fraud operations. Authorities have already detained suspects in Oecussi on allegations of computer fraud and illegal gambling, and investigations uncovered possible links to crime networks repurposing previously convicted individuals from other Asian jurisdictions. 

Industry observers and former license issuers have reacted cautiously. The sole national concessionaire for online gaming support, GRU (Golden River Universe), acknowledged the government’s move, saying that some operators had abused domestic licences to serve foreign markets, creating unfair competition and regulatory risk. With the revocation, all operators must cease activities until a new regulatory framework is introduced.