🐒 Mozambique🇲🇿: regulatory framework for online casinos takes effect on November 20

🐒 Mozambique🇲🇿: regulatory framework for online casinos takes effect on November 20

The regulation in question is the “Regulation on the Organization and Operation of Online Games of Chance”, approved on September 21 of this year under Decree No. 61/2026. Under its provisions, the regulation was due to take effect 60 days after publication. However, what is interesting is that several additional provisions were introduced during that period without prior notice to market participants.

🟡 Before starting the licensing process, operators must obtain a concession to conduct gambling activities. These concessions will be available to public limited companies incorporated under Mozambican law:

🎙 For example, the legislation allows for multiple concessionaires. If the shareholders are legal entities, at least 26% of the paid-up share capital must be owned by Mozambican shareholders registered in the country.
🎙 This ownership participation must be maintained throughout the entire concession period and cannot be reduced without prior authorization.

🟡 The minimum share capital must be at least 100 million MZN (USD 1,568,833).

🟡 In addition, operators must provide 15 million MZN as security for the fulfillment of their legal obligations, including player account balances and potential penalties. They must also provide another 10 million MZN to guarantee payment of the special tax on online gambling. Combined, these requirements amount to USD 391,216 in additional costs. However, the General Inspectorate of Gaming (IGJ) is authorized to review the contribution amounts every 6 months or whenever it deems necessary.

🟡 Did you think that was all❓ Not quite. Articles 88 and 89 of the regulation establish another 2 separate contractual contributions, both calculated on the basis of annual revenue.

🙈 One is intended to fund social, institutional, and public responsibility objectives.
🙈 The other supports the development of tourism unrelated to gambling.

🟡 Well, we have finally reached the topic of licensing. License applications and supporting documents must be submitted in Portuguese, using the approved application form, to the authority responsible for tourism.

🟡 The gambling license will be valid for 2 years and may be renewed. However, the duration of the concession agreement will be established separately.

🟡 Authorized websites must use a domain name ending in .mz. Operators must redirect all access originating from Mozambique to their authorized domestic website, as well as access by users whose accounts are registered in the country.

🟡 Article 46 permits only electronic payment instruments authorized by the Bank of Mozambique and denominated exclusively in meticals. Instruments issued abroad or involving currency conversion cannot be used to fund player accounts.

🟡 Operators must transfer a player's requested balance to the payment account specified by that player within 48 hours. They must also maintain sufficient funds to cover the total balance of all players' accounts.

🟡 The infrastructure for deposits, registration, and authentication must be located in Mozambique.

🟡 All gambling-related data must be stored in the country for at least ten years.

🟡 Players must set daily, weekly, and monthly deposit limits before they can start playing. Commercial practices intended to encourage players to increase their limits are prohibited.

🟡 Background: Mozambique has a population of 34,173,805, a GDP per capita of USD 475, and a literacy rate of 60.7%, according to 2017 data. It is reasonable to assume that the latter indicator has improved somewhat since then, although probably not significantly.

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