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What are the best online casinos Mozambique has to offer in 2024? Are you allowed to gamble on Mozambican online casino sites at all? And which casinos accept Mozambican players?
Table of contents Our ranking process is strict. Its pillars are Mozambican online casinos' reputation and legitimacy.
Gambling has been LEGALin Mozambique since 1994.
Legal basis: 1994 Gambling Act 2010 Gambling Law 2017 Gaming and Gambling Law Amendment 2022 Gambling Regulation |
In the olden days, the strict rules made gambling unattractive enterprise.
For instance, casinos had to be outside of cities with a basic investment of 15M USD. On top of that, only 250+ room hotels could host casinos.
Over time, the movement towards a more business-friendly environment gained traction. Several amendments led to the present state of affairs. The rationale behind this was to stimulate the growth of the tourism and hospitality sectors.
After the legalization in 1994 (Decree 8/94), there have been three key liberalization moves up to date:
Find out more about gambling laws in Mozambique here.
Yes, online gambling is LEGAL in Mozambique. Ever since the 2010 revision of the Gambling Act, local players can gamble at online casinos.
However, players from Mozambique are NOT to play in unlicensed online casinos. Playing on such operators is ILLEGAL.
Legal basis: |
Licensed operators with the Mozambican gambling license. Only Mozambican gambling platforms with locally issued licenses can accept players.
Licensing is the jurisdiction of the Minister of Tourism.
Only if they procure a local gambling license. To do so, they must set up shop in Mozambique. This ban applies to Mozambicans only.
Yes. The gambling regulations apply to Mozambicans. If casinos accept them, the non-permanent residents, tourists and expats can play online.
The regulation is a tad more complicated than elsewhere.
First, the Mozambican gambling market falls under two ministries:
Next, two bodies regulate the market.
The General Gaming Inspection (IGJ) supervises the operation of all gambling and social games. In so doing, they assist the Finance Minister.
The National Gaming Commission evaluates proposals, awards contracts and issues licenses. They aid the Tourism Minister.
Basically, the Finance Minister okays casinos, while the Gaming Inspection licenses them.
Mozambican players can gamble from 18 years of age.
Yes. There are currently six gambling venues:
Most brick-and-mortar establishments have no online counterparts.
Two out of the top three venues are Maputo-based. The biggest, in the case of Mozambique, also means the best. At least, that's what the reviews claim.
Neither of the three charges the entrance fee.
Their offer is standard, comprising poker, slots, and diverse table games. Casino Polana is known for its top electronic table offering.
Not really. Still, as cryptocurrencies are illegal, so is crypto gambling. No local gambling house accepts crypto deposits.
Players depositing on international gambling platforms won't suffer consequences. On this matter, the state's enforcement is lenient.
Using cryptocurrency may be risky, according to the National Monetary Authority. The local central bank warns against Bitcoin, as the currency has no legal standing. Subsequently, claiming damages that rise from transactions using cryptocurrencies may be tricky.
To sum up: Though gambling in cryptocurrencies in Mozambique is ILLEGAL, there's no enforcement. |
Most Mozambican casinos accept mainstream payments like Visa, Paypal and Mastercard.
Using Africa-specific services, like M-Pesa is recommended.
Most casinos process Mozambican Metical (MZN) currency, which makes playing easy.
The table below marks the milestones in modern Mozambican gambling history.
| Year | Event |
| 1975 | Mozambique gains independence. |
| 1994 | Gambling becomes legal with the Gambling Act |
| 2009 | President Armando Guebuza amends the law towards more liberalization. |
| 2010 | Online Gambling becomes legal. Slot halls are allowed. Setup fees cut in half. |
| 2017 | The new, more liberal gambling legislation comes into force. |
| 2020 | Online gambling explodes during the pandemic. |
| 2022 | The new gambling regulation amendment further liberalizes the market. |
The gambling landscape in Mozambique has changed dramatically in the last two decades.
From the original 15M, casino operators nowadays need half of the sum to get the ball rolling. Casinos no longer need to belong to huge 4 to 5-star hotels. Instead they can enter partnerships. Slot machines are allowed, too.
The application process for licenses is swift. The licenses are easily renewed. Looking at the history, only one conclusion emerges.
What the future has in store for the Mozambican gambling market is clear. Further liberalization. No two ways about that. The pandemic only reinforced people's interest in games of chance. As a result, nowadays, both offline and online sectors flourish. Experts predict that casinos may cluster. Eventually, Mozambique could become a gaming hub like South Africa.
That said, there’s a long road ahead. Laws are not enforced properly and addiction risks are high.
Here's your shortcut to the Mozambican online casino world:
From one of the strictest countries to a liberal paradise, Mozambique went a long way. If you find yourself around and want safe fun, check out the top picks above.
