Mozambique has approved a dedicated regulatory framework for online games of chance, separating digital casino-style gambling from the concession system that applies to land-based casinos.
The Council of Ministers approved the Regulation on the Operation and Practice of Games of Chance or Fortune through Electronic or Computerised Means in July. The legislation establishes online gambling as an independent activity conducted through digital platforms, computer systems and other forms of remote electronic access.
While Mozambique already permits online sports betting and products such as lotteries, mutual betting and virtual games under its social and entertainment gambling rules, the new regime specifically covers online games of chance. Operators in this segment will require concessions separate from those issued to physical casinos.
Online growth pressures casino tax revenue
The regulatory change comes as Mozambique’s government faces declining tax receipts from traditional casinos and growing gambling activity on digital platforms.
Casino tax revenue reached MZN359.5 million in 2025, only 54% of the MZN666.1 million budgeted for the year. Collections were also 7.3% lower than the MZN387.7 million recorded in 2024. Mozambique had initially targeted MZN1.235 billion in casino taxes for 2024 but collected only around 34% of that amount.
The Ministry of Finance has directly linked the weakness in casino tax receipts to the expansion of online gambling, saying the shift towards digital betting has reduced customer traffic at physical venues. Mozambique currently has casino and gaming-machine concessions in locations including Maputo, Matola, Beira, Tete, Nampula and Pemba.
The tax structure for physical casinos currently varies according to concession length, with the Special Gaming Tax ranging from 20% to 35% of gross gaming revenue. However, equivalent tax terms for the new online casino regime have not yet been made public.
Government puts illegal operators under scrutiny
Authorities are also presenting the new framework as part of a wider effort to strengthen control of the gambling sector.
Economy Minister Basílio Muhate met the Mozambican Association of Online Games and Betting on 31 July and stressed that enforcement against illegal gambling, stronger supervision and greater transparency would remain government priorities. Oversight of licensed gambling activity falls to the General Inspectorate of Games, or IGJ.
The government has also urged licensed businesses to address gambling-related social risks, particularly among younger consumers, and to introduce measures aimed at reducing irresponsible play.
Industry representatives have meanwhile focused on offshore websites that accept wagers from Mozambican customers without contributing local tax revenue. Association president Danilo Mussá said the new legal framework should strengthen efforts to seek action from the National Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, known as INTIC, against unlicensed foreign platforms.
INTIC already operates a broader registration and licensing system for electronic service providers and digital platform operators in Mozambique. Registration is required before a platform can obtain the relevant licence under the country’s electronic-transactions rules.
Key licensing terms still missing
Despite establishing the legal foundation for regulated online casino gambling, Mozambique has not yet published several details that prospective operators would need before entering the market.
No publicly available terms currently specify the cost of an online gambling concession, the applicable gaming-tax rate, minimum capital requirements, technical certification standards or a formal application timetable. The IGJ has also not published a complete procedure showing when companies will be able to apply under the new regime.
Existing IGJ requirements for other authorised online gambling products already cover areas such as the use of a Mozambican domain, age restrictions, responsible gambling information, privacy policies, secure HTTPS connections and platform certification translated into Portuguese. It is not yet clear whether the dedicated online casino regime will adopt the same standards or introduce additional requirements.
Mozambique has therefore taken the main legislative step toward establishing a distinct regulated online casino market, but its commercial impact will depend on the publication of licensing, taxation, technical and enforcement rules needed to turn the framework into an operational regime.