Online Casino Montenegro

Montenegro is a small but extremely dynamic country in the field of gambling and online casinos.

Thanks to transparent regulation, low taxes and open licensing, it has become an attractive jurisdiction for operators from all over Europe.

Online gambling is legal here, is developing rapidly, and the country itself is gradually turning into an iGaming hub of the Adriatic region.

Legislative framework

The main regulatory act governing gambling in Montenegro -

Law on Games of Chance (Zakon o igrama na sreću), adopted in 2004 and updated in 2011, 2018 and 2021.

The main principles of the law:

gambling is allowed if licensed;
online and offline gambling are regulated by a single legal regime;
foreign companies can obtain licenses on an equal basis with local ones;
the minimum age of players is 18 years;
the state controls taxation, transaction security and the protection of players' rights.

The industry regulator is Uprava za igre na sreću Crne Gore (Gambling Authority under the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro).

It is responsible for:

issuing licenses;
audit of operators;
maintenance of the state register;
the fight against illegal sites;
implementation of Responsible Gaming.

Licensing

Montenegro is known for its flexible and affordable licensing system, which makes it popular among startups and international brands.

License types:

1. Casino and slot machines (Casino License);

2. Online gambling (Remote Gambling License);

3. Sports betting (Betting License);

4. Bingo, lotteries and instant win games.

Main requirements:

registration of the company in Montenegro or the EU;
minimum capital - €25,000;
guarantee deposit - €10,000-50,000 (depending on the type of games);
RNG and platform certification;
audit of financial statements;
implementation of Responsible Gaming policy.

License period: 5 years (with the right to renew).

License price: from €10,000 per year for online gambling - one of the most affordable in Europe.

Largest licensed brands:

Meridianbet. me, MaxBet. me, Lutrija Crne Gore, Bet Ole, Volcano Casino, 1xBet. me, Bet365. me, Admiral Bet Montenegro.

Taxation

Montenegro offers one of the most loyal tax systems for gambling in Europe.

Type of activity	Tax
Online casinos and betting	9% GGR
Land-based casinos	10% GGR
Lotteries and bingo	15% GGR
Corporate tax	9% (same for all companies)

Additionally, operators contribute 1% of the profit to the Responsible Gaming fund.

Players are not taxed on winnings if playing at licensed operators.

Online gambling

Online gambling in Montenegro has been fully legalized and has been actively developing since 2012.

Local players have access to both national sites and international platforms licensed by the EU.

Popular online casinos:

Meridianbet. me, Volcano Casino, MaxBet, Lutrija Crne Gore, Admiral Bet, 1xBet, Stake, Bet365, Fairspin, BC. Game.

Land-based casinos

Despite the small size of the country, Montenegro has a developed network of tourist casinos aimed at foreigners.

Largest gambling establishments:

Casino Maestral (Budva) - the largest casino in the country, owned by the Novomatic Group;
Casino Avala (Budva);
Casino Queen of Montenegro (Becici);
Casino Royal Splendid (Becici);
Merit Casino Montenegro (Podgorica) is an elite casino of the international Merit chain.

The offline sector actively supports tourism, attracting guests from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Turkey and Russia.

Payment methods

The official currency is euro (EUR), which makes Montenegro convenient for international transactions.

Available payment methods:

Visa, MasterCard, Maestro;
Skrill, Neteller, ecoPayz, Revolut;
Apple Pay, Google Pay;
bank transfers (Erste, Hipotekarna, NLB, Addiko);
Paysafecard;
cryptocurrencies (BTC, USDT, ETH, LTC) are legal subject to AML/CTF laws.

Montenegro plans to introduce a national instant payment system for iGaming in 2025.

Responsible play

Montenegro is actively implementing a Responsible Gaming policy that meets European standards.

Regulation includes:

age limit (18 +);
deposit and loss limits;
the possibility of temporary or complete self-exclusion;
psychological support hotline under the Ministry of Health;
mandatory notifications about the risks of gambling addiction.

All licensed operators are required to fund the Responsible Play Fund (Fond za Odgovorno Kockanje), which supports preventive and educational programs.

Economic importance

Gambling has become one of the key sources of income for the budget of Montenegro.

According to the Ministry of Finance (2024):

total industry turnover - €400 million per year;
tax revenues - €45 million annually;
about 2,500 jobs directly and 7,000 indirectly;
more than 70% of offline casino income is provided by tourists.

The industry actively supports sport and culture, with Meridianbet and Lutrija Crne Gore sponsoring football clubs, leagues and social projects.

Challenges and challenges

Despite the liberal approach, the market faces a number of challenges:

the need to modernize legislation for crypto gambling and NFT games;
combating unlicensed sites;
raising the standards of Responsible Gaming;
dependence on the tourist season.

In 2025, the government plans to introduce a register of licensed online operators and a real-time monitoring system to monitor transactions and taxes.

Development prospects

Montenegro aims to become the digital hub of the Balkan iGaming industry.

Key areas of development for the coming years:

digitalization of licensing through an online portal;
introduction of regulation of cryptocurrency casinos;
expanding partnerships with software providers (Pragmatic Play, Evolution, Novomatic);
development of tourist casino complexes on the coast.

Due to its low taxes, stable economy and international orientation, Montenegro is considered one of the most attractive and safe jurisdictions in Europe for online casinos and gambling investments, combining tourism potential with the technological development of the iGaming sector.