Is online gambling legal in Mozambique?

Legal overview

Mozambique regulates games of chance under Lei n.º 1/2010 (the gaming law for games of fortune or chance) and its implementing regulation approved by Decreto n.º 64/2010, as listed by the gaming regulator, the Inspecção-Geral de Jogos (IGJ). This framework is built around concessions for land-based casinos and slot halls, which currently operate in Maputo, Matola, Beira, Tete, Nampula and Pemba. Lotteries, mutual betting and sports betting fall under a separate regime for social and entertainment games, and online sports betting is licensed under that regime.

Until now there has been no concession for online casino games. In July 2026 the Council of Ministers approved a new Regulation on the Operation and Practice of Games of Fortune or Chance through electronic or computer media, which creates a stand-alone concession regime for online games of chance, separate from the land-based casino concessions. Government statements tied the reform to falling casino tax revenue, which officials attribute to the growth of online gambling. As of August 2026, the licensing terms, application process and online gaming tax rate had not been published, and no online casino concession had been reported.

In practice, online casino sites used by Mozambican players are therefore run by foreign operators without a local licence. No source found makes it an offence for players to use them, but these sites are outside IGJ supervision, so local complaint channels and self-exclusion do not apply. The industry has called for offshore sites to be blocked, but no blocking power had been confirmed. The IGJ offers a self-exclusion request form for the licensed sector.