Mozambique's first online casino rules take effect November 20: .mz domains, meticais-only betting and 26% local ownership

What the decree requires

The regulation creates a separate concession regime for remote games of chance, including roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker, bingo, keno and virtual gaming machines. Mozambique's Council of Ministers approved it on July 14, and the decree was published in the official gazette on September 21.

According to the text as reported by Portuguese news agency Lusa, concessions may only go to public limited companies incorporated under Mozambican law, with at least 26% Mozambican capital and share capital of at least 100 million meticais (about €1.4 million, by Lusa's conversion). All bets, deposits, prizes and withdrawals must be made in meticais through banks, e-wallets or other payment providers authorised in Mozambique.

Licensed platforms must operate on a .mz domain. Operators must keep account records, betting logs, prize and payment data and platform access logs in Mozambique for at least 10 years.

Blocking and player protection

When authorities identify an unlicensed platform serving Mozambican players, telecom operators and internet service providers must carry out blocking orders within 48 hours of notification. The measures can also target payments linked to those sites.

Article 90 bars 10 groups from playing, including under-18s, members of the government, officials of the Inspecção-Geral de Jogos (IGJ), staff of gaming operators and bank cashiers and managers. Age verification must happen automatically before registration, and self-exclusion periods last at least three months, according to a published summary of the decree's articles. Advertising may not present gambling as a solution to personal difficulties or promise guaranteed wins.

The current market

The IGJ's website lists 34 licensed entities, with brands including Betway, PremierBet, Elephant Bet, 1XBet, 22Bet, Betwinner, Hollywood Bets and Placard. The list does not say whether any of them will apply for an online games-of-chance concession.

Finance Ministry budget data cited by Lusa show Mozambique collected 161 million meticais in special gaming tax in the first half of 2026, down 8.6% from 175.2 million meticais a year earlier.