Gambling and online casinos in Mozambique

Mozambique is one of the few states in East and Southern Africa where gambling is officially legalized and regulated by the state.

Thanks to tourism, coastal resorts and an influx of foreign investment, the country is gradually turning into a new gambling hub in the region.

Mozambique's gambling industry combines traditional casinos, national lotteries and a booming online sector.

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Historical context

The first casinos appeared in Mozambique back in the 1960s and 1970s, during the Portuguese administration, when hotels and entertainment complexes began to be built on the coast of the Indian Ocean.

After independence in 1975 and a long period of economic instability, the gambling industry only began to recover in the 1990s, with the adoption of Gaming Act No. 9 of 1996, which legalized gambling and created a legal framework for licensing.

Today, the sector is overseen by the Inspectorate of Gaming (Inspecção de Jogos), subordinate to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.

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Legislation and regulation

The main regulatory act is Gaming Act 1996, as well as the Gaming Regulation 2012 amendments, which included online gambling in the legal field.

Regulator - Inspectorate of Gaming of Mozambique (IGM), which controls licenses, taxes, player protection and financial reports of operators.

Main provisions of the legislation:

• a license is required for all forms of gambling;
• minimum age - 18 years;
• license validity period - 5 years;
• gross income tax (GGR) - 20%;
• foreign investors are allowed during local registration;
• mandatory audit and reporting every 12 months.

The state actively uses tax revenues to support tourism and coastal infrastructure, including the resorts of Maputo, Beira and Pemba.

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Legal forms of gambling

Mozambique officially allows:

• casinos and gaming clubs;
• bookmakers and sports betting;
• lotteries and bingo;
• virtual games and machines;
• online gambling (under current licenses).

Major operators:

• Polana Casino Hotel (Maputo) - the oldest casino in the country;
• Casino Marina Beira is a popular destination for tourists;
• Sol Casino Pemba is part of a tourist complex in the north;
• MozBet and Betway Mozambique are the leading online bookmakers.

Casinos operate in tourist areas, and online platforms target local players and neighboring countries -

South Africa, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

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Online gambling

Online gambling in Mozambique has been officially allowed since 2012, but regulation remains flexible.

Licenses are issued on the basis of eGaming Regulation, and local companies can work in partnership with international brands.

Popular destinations:

• online sports and football betting;
• slots and live games;
• virtual lotteries and esports.

Payment methods:

• M-Pesa Mozambique, EMola, mKesh;
• BCI, Millennium BIM, Standard Bank bank cards;
• international methods (Visa, Skrill, Neteller).

According to East Africa iGaming Review 2024, about 200,000 active players in the country use online platforms, and the market turnover reaches $40-50 million per year.

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Economic role

The gambling industry plays a prominent role in Mozambique's economy, especially in the tourism and services sector.

Key indicators (2024):

• tax revenues - about $10 million;
• contribution to GDP - 0.6%;
• about 3,000 jobs in the casino, IT and marketing sectors;
• the share of tourists visiting casino zones is 15% of the total flow.

The state sees gambling as a tool for developing tourist clusters, attracting investments from Portugal, South Africa and China.

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Social and cultural context

Mozambique is a secular state with a predominance of Catholicism and Islam, so the attitude towards gambling is moderately neutral.

The main emphasis in the policy is on responsible gambling and restricting the access of minors.

The regulator requires operators to:

• setting rate limits;
• self-locking tools;
• information campaigns on addiction risks.

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Prospects

Mozambique has a high potential to develop online gambling due to its stable policies, tourism potential and growing internet coverage.

The plans until 2030:

• the creation of a national eGaming Mozambique registry;
• introduction of digital taxation for online operators;
• the development of gambling resorts on the Indian Ocean coast;
• attracting investment in mobile casinos and live platforms.

Forecast: by 2030, the gambling market may reach $100 million, and the online segment will occupy up to 70% of the industry.

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Mozambique is the rising star of the African gambling market, where legal regulation, tourism appeal and a growing digital sector are creating a sustainable gambling ecosystem.