Mozambique Establishes Separate Concession Regime for Online Games of Chance

Mozambique has approved a dedicated regulatory framework for online games of chance, creating a distinct concession system for casino-style products delivered through electronic platforms and computer systems. The Council of Ministers adopted the Regulation on the Operation and Practice of Games of Chance or Fortune through Electronic or Computerised Means in mid-July. The measure separates these activities from the concession rules governing land-based casinos and from the existing framework that already licenses online sports betting, lotteries, raffles, mutual betting and virtual games.

Casino gaming-tax collection fell to MZN359.5m ($5.6 million) in 2025, equating to 54% of the budgeted MZN666.1m. The total was 7.3% lower than the MZN387.7m collected in 2024, when authorities met 34% of a MZN1.235bn target. The government attributes the persistent shortfalls to increased online gambling reducing visits to physical venues, according to reporting by iGaming Business.

Enforcement Against Illegal Gambling and Offshore Sites

Economy Minister Basílio Muhate placed enforcement, oversight and transparency at the centre of the announcement. After a 31 July meeting with the Mozambican Association of Online Games and Betting, Muhate stated the government would continue to combat illegal gambling. “We continue to defend the fight against illegal gambling,” Muhate told O País. “Regarding all forms of illegality arising from gambling, we affirm and reaffirm our commitment to tackling it. We also reaffirm the need for greater inspection and greater transparency. That is why we have a General Inspectorate of Games with that responsibility.”

Muhate called on operators to help mitigate the social effects of irresponsible gambling, especially among young people. Economist Júlio Saramala warned that high unemployment and “easy money” messaging could increase youth participation, arguing social harms might outweigh added tax revenue. Danilo Mussá, president of the Mozambican Association of Online Games and Betting, said the framework supplies a legal instrument to address foreign betting sites that serve Mozambican customers without paying local taxes. “This approval is important because it gives us a legal instrument that will also enable us to combat foreign betting sites that enter our cyberspace,” Mussá told O País.

Licensing Parameters Still Unspecified

The approval supplies a legal foundation but does not yet define a practical route to market. Neither the government nor the General Inspectorate of Games has published concession costs, applicable gaming-tax rates, minimum-capital requirements, application processes, technical standards or an implementation timetable. The Inspectorate did not respond to questions on when those terms would appear or how supervision would function. The framework’s ultimate effect will therefore depend on the speed and clarity with which authorities translate the regulation into enforceable licensing and enforcement mechanisms.

Reporting: iGaming Business (iGB)

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