Mozambique's Council of Ministers has approved a new legal framework governing online games of chance, creating a dedicated regulatory regime for digital gambling that is separate from the country's existing land-based casino sector.
The new Regulation on the Exploitation and Practice of Games of Chance or Gambling through Electronic or Computer Media establishes the legal basis for operating online gambling through digital platforms, computer systems and other forms of remote access.
Under the decree, online gambling will be recognised as an independent gaming vertical with its own licensing and concession requirements, rather than being regulated under the same framework as physical casinos.
The move comes as the Government responds to changing market dynamics, with the Ministry of Finance previously linking the growth of online gambling to declining tax revenues from traditional casino operations.
According to the Ministry's 2025 budget execution report, casino tax revenue reached €4.8m ($5.5m) during the year, representing 54% of the €8.8m originally forecast.
The figure also marked a 7.3% decline from the €5.1m collected in 2024, with the Government attributing part of the shortfall to a significant increase in online gambling activity, which it said had reduced casino visitation.
Mozambique currently has casino and slot machine concessions operating in cities including Maputo, Matola, Beira, Tete, Nampula and Pemba.
Existing casino concessionaires are subject to minimum capital and investment requirements, while gaming taxes range from 20% to 35% of gross gaming revenue, depending on the length of the concession.
The newly approved framework aims to provide regulatory clarity for online gambling operators while creating a distinct licensing structure tailored specifically to the country's expanding digital gaming market.
The development follows wider regulatory activity across Africa's gambling sector, including panel discussions at the iGaming Africa Summit calling for balanced taxation and stronger channelisation, a proposed casino relocation tax in South Africa's Western Cape, and the International Gaming Standards Association's launch of a new regional office in Lagos, Nigeria.
The Ministry of Finance reported that casino tax revenue totalled €4.8m in 2025, achieving 54% of the Government's original revenue forecast
