Sadio Mane's Senegal are hoping to retain the trophy they won in Cameroon two years ago and were too strong for their Gambian neighbours, who played the whole second half with 10 men.
Marseille midfielder Pape Gueye swept home an assist by Mane to give the Lions of Teranga the lead inside four minutes in Ivorian capital Yamoussoukro.
Gambia endured a troubled build-up to the tournament, boycotting a training session over an unpaid qualification bonus before their flight to Ivory Coast was forced to turn around just nine minutes after take-off due to technical problems.
Quarter-finalists in 2022, they had Cardiff midfielder Ebou Adams sent off for a studs-up challenge just before the break. Senegal effectively killed off the game early in the second half when 20-year-old Camara, the African young player of the year, drilled a low shot into the far corner.