Is online gambling legal in Mozambique?

It is not illegal for you to play, but you have no local regulatory protection if a dispute arises. A 10% rate applies to winnings from social games such as lotteries, bingo and mutual betting, while casino and fixed-odds sports-betting winnings are not covered by that rate.

Play only on sites licensed in Mozambique; those have to follow its player-protection rules.

Online sports betting is legal on sites licensed in Mozambique. Online casino is not regulated: no Mozambique licence exists for it, and sites offering it operate without one. Online poker is not regulated: no Mozambique licence exists for it, and sites offering it operate without one. The lottery is legal on sites licensed in Mozambique.

Using a VPN to reach gambling sites from Mozambique: Legal.

Gambling with crypto: Not regulated.

You must be 18 to gamble online in Mozambique, for online casino, sports betting and lottery alike.

A 10% liberatory IRPS rate applies to cash winnings from jogos de diversão social (lotteries, raffles, mutual betting, loto, bingo, draws and contests) under the IRPS Code arts. 15(a) and 67(3)(c), withheld at payout. Note the scope: casino winnings under Lei n.º 1/2010 and fixed-odds sports-betting winnings are not in that list, so a blanket 10% on all winnings overstates the position. Lei n.º 1/2010 art. 84(2) only clarifies that the concessionaire's IRPC exemption does not extend to IRPS. There is no player-side stamp duty on winnings; stamp duty attaches to casino admission tickets.

The regulator's register lists 34 online licence holders in Mozambique (checked 6 Nov 2026, no change since 19 Oct 2026).

Always verify a casino holds a valid Inspecção-Geral de Jogos (IGJ), tutelada by the Ministério das Finanças since the 2025 reorganisation; gaming policy, licensing and concessions sit with the Ministério da Economia, which also holds tourism via INATUR licence before depositing.

Prominent operators in Mozambique

If a site isn't on the regulator's licensee register, ask the regulator before you play: an unlisted site is usually not licensed here (a register can lag behind a new licence). An unlicensed site is outside the regulator's supervision, so you cannot complain to the regulator about it.

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  Verify the operator has a local sports betting licence

  Only bet with operators explicitly licensed for sports betting in Mozambique. The regulator (IGJ) does not maintain a public online register, so check for licensing information on the operator's site and cross-reference with reputable industry sources.

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  Be cautious with sites offering online casino

  Since there is no local licensing for online casino, any site offering it is operating in a grey market. While not illegal for you to play, you have no local regulatory protection if a dispute arises.

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  Know which winnings are taxed before you judge a payout

  Do not treat a missing tax deduction as evidence that an operator is unlicensed. The 10% liberatory IRPS withholding covers social-game winnings such as lotteries, bingo and mutual betting, and is deducted at payout. Casino and fixed-odds sports-betting winnings are not covered by that rate, so a licensed sportsbook that pays you in full is behaving normally. Judge the operator on its IGJ sports-betting licence instead.

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  Use mobile money for secure payments

  Using established local mobile money services like M-Pesa and e-Mola provides a secure and common way to transact with gambling sites, often with better consumer protection than direct bank transfers to unknown entities.

What you can expect from a licensed site's offers in Mozambique. The rules operators must follow are on the operator page.

1. 1

   1. Contact the operator's support

   First, try to resolve the issue directly with the licensed operator's customer service team. Maintain a clear record of all communication, including dates, times, and support ticket numbers.

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   2. Escalate to the regulator (IGJ)

   If the dispute cannot be resolved with the operator, you can file a formal complaint with the Inspecção Geral de Jogos (IGJ). However, the IGJ does not maintain a public-facing online portal for dispute resolution, so you must make contact through official government channels.

• Myth

  All online gambling is illegal in Mozambique.
  Reality

  This is false. Online sports betting is explicitly legal and licensed locally. Online casino and poker are in a grey market, not explicitly illegal for players to access, but operators cannot get a local licence for them. Players commonly use offshore sites without legal penalty.

• Myth

  Gambling winnings are tax-free.
  Reality

  Partly wrong, and the scope matters. A 10% liberatory IRPS rate is withheld at payout on cash winnings from jogos de diversão social, meaning lotteries, raffles, mutual betting, loto, bingo, draws and contests, under IRPS Code arts. 15(a) and 67(3)(c). Casino winnings under Lei n.º 1/2010 and fixed-odds sports-betting winnings are not on that list, so a blanket 10% on everything overstates what you owe. There is no player-side stamp duty on winnings either; stamp duty attaches to casino admission tickets.

• Myth

  Using a VPN to gamble is illegal.
  Reality

  There are no laws in Mozambique that prohibit the use of VPNs. They are widely used for privacy and to access international content, including offshore gambling sites, without legal repercussions.