🇪🇭For operators · Tax, marketing & compliance
Western Sahara for operators: no online regime
Moroccan law governs gambling in most of the territory, with state monopolies for betting and casinos for tourists. A purported online licence from the SADR is not recognized.
OverviewOverview built from public sources. An in-depth review of Western Sahara is available on request. Request it
Product by product
| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| Online betting · Lottery | Limited |
| Online casino · Online poker | Unregulated |
Regulator and player protection in Western Sahara
Regulator
Application authority and enforcement body
Mandatory RG controls
No limit imposed on players
Deposit limits or reality checks the law requires operators to offer
Advertising stance
Banned or near-banned
Whether you can run TV / sponsorship / paid-social campaigns
Heads-up for operators
2 items · last change 8 Oct 2026
Moroccan law applies in practice. A Casablanca Commercial Court order of 12 January 2026 requiring internet providers to block offshore betting sites was annulled by the Casablanca Commercial Court of Appeal on 10 February 2026, ending the blocking obligation; no later ruling is recorded (press).
Court of Appeal Suspends ISP Blocking Order
The Casablanca Court of Appeal suspended a lower court's order for ISPs to block offshore gambling sites. The legal status of site access is uncertain pending a final verdict.
Source: 1
Not yet in force: drafts, laws adopted without a start date, and sections of the law still to be commenced. An item moves to the timeline below on the day it takes effect.
Licence Types in Western Sahara
2 licence types are listed for Western Sahara; each says who issues it and what it covers.
| Licence | Regulator | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Monopoly (Moroccan Law) | MDJS / SOREC / Loterie Nationale | — | The de facto framework in Moroccan-administered areas, governed by statutes including the Dahir of 1966. No private operators are licensed for betting or lottery. |
| Online Gambling Licence (SADR) | Central Reserve Authority of Western Sahara | — | Purported online gambling licence issued by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic since 2017. It is not internationally recognized or considered legitimate by the mainstream industry. |
Licensing model
The applicable Moroccan framework, based on statutes like the Dahir of 1966, is a state-monopoly-only model for betting and lotteries. Private operators cannot be licensed for these verticals. Land-based casinos are permitted via regional concessions and are primarily aimed at tourists.
Gambling tax and fees in Western Sahara
Detail
No GGR or turnover taxes apply to private operators as none are licensed. The legal framework is based on state monopolies (MDJS, SOREC, Loterie Nationale) whose revenues are managed through government channels.
Year-1 cost of operating in Western Sahara
There is no licensing framework for private online operators under the applicable Moroccan law; the market is structured as a state monopoly. The costs below relate to the unrecognized SADR licence, which holds no legal weight in Moroccan-administered areas.
| Line item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Online Sports Betting Licence | State monopoly Source2 | Held exclusively by La Marocaine des Jeux et des Sports (MDJS). |
| Horse Race Betting Licence | State monopoly Source3 | Held exclusively by Société Royale d'Encouragement du Cheval (SOREC). |
| Lottery Licence | State monopoly Source4 | Held exclusively by Loterie Nationale. |
| Land-Based Casino Licence | no published fee schedule Source5 | Permitted via regional concessions aimed at tourists. Fee structures are not publicly detailed. |
| SADR Online Licence (Unrecognized) | no published fee schedule Source6 | Promoted by agents, but lacks international recognition and legal standing. |
Year 1 estimate
Not applicable for private operators
Private online operators cannot be licensed under the de facto Moroccan legal framework.
Which foreign licences Western Sahara accepts
Western Sahara recognises none of these 8 foreign licences.
BlockedMalta (MGA) · United Kingdom (UKGC) · Gibraltar (GRA) · Isle of Man (GSC) · Curaçao · Kahnawake (KGC) · Anjouan (AGB) · Alderney (AGCC)
Not legally recognized. Subject to ISP blocking orders which were suspended by the Casablanca Court of Appeal on February 10, 2026, pending a final ruling.
Bonus rules: welcome bonuses banned
Bonuses bannedInducement ads: Banned
As there is no regulated market for private online gambling, specific statutes governing bonus offers or promotions for such operators do not exist. The entire regulatory framework is designed for the state monopolies, with active enforcement against unlicensed foreign operators and their promoters.
What the player can claim
- Welcome bonus
- Banned
- VIP schemes
- Banned
- Loyalty schemes
- Banned
- Cashback
- Banned
- Online casino games
- Online poker
The concepts of competitive bonuses and retention tools are not applicable, as private operators cannot be licensed. The state monopoly is limited to sports betting and lottery products.
What the operator can advertise
- Channels off-limits
- Social media influencers
- Google Ads
- Messages ads may not give
- harmless entertainment or quick profit
- Mandatory disclaimer
Jouez si vous avez +18 ans. Jouez de manière responsable.
- Penalties
10,000 MAD per day for Internet Service Providers failing to block access to unlicensed gambling websites.
Individuals promoting or organizing unlicensed gambling may face criminal charges under the Moroccan Penal Code.
Enforcement is not directed at licensed operators for compliance violations, but rather at suppressing the entire unlicensed market through ISP blocks and criminal investigations into operators and promoters.
Recent advertising-violation cases
| Date | Operator | Violation | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Social media influencers | Promoting illegal sports betting sites, prompting a judicial investigation by the National Brigade of the Judicial Police. | Hespress | |
| January 2026 | Unlicensed offshore platforms | Being targeted by a court order, compelling major ISPs to block access following a complaint by the state monopoly (MDJS). | iGaming Today | |
| 2023 | 1xBet and other websites | Being the subject of a large-scale investigation into illegal gambling operations by Morocco's National Judicial Police Brigade (BNPJ). | Hespress |
How Western Sahara enforces against unlicensed operators
Enforcement is inconsistent but escalating. While authorities have not historically prosecuted players, recent actions show a clear intent to disrupt the offshore market through infrastructure (ISP blocking) and fiscal policy (withholding tax). A court's suspension of the ISP block shows the current legal uncertainty.
- February 2026: The Casablanca Court of Appeal suspended a lower court's ISP blocking order against offshore sites, creating temporary legal ambiguity.
- January 2026: A commercial court ordered major telecom providers to block access to unlicensed foreign gambling platforms.
- January 2026: A 30-32% withholding tax on winnings from foreign online gambling sites became effective.
Enforcement cases in Western Sahara: 3 recent
Material regulator actions, court rulings, and high-profile fines from 2016–2026 against operators serving Western Sahara. Each entry includes the technical failure and a one-line read-across for other operators in the market.
- 10 Feb 2026
Offshore Operators
Grey-MarketInjunction SuspendedThe Casablanca Court of Appeal suspended a lower court's order that had compelled ISPs to block offshore betting sites, pending a final ruling.
Read-across: The appellate court's stay provides temporary relief for offshore operators, but indicates a volatile legal environment where market access could be blocked again pending final rulings.
- 1 Jan 2026
Offshore Operators
TaxWithholding Tax ImposedMorocco's 2025 Finance Bill introduced a 30-32% withholding tax on winnings from foreign online gambling platforms, effective from the start of the year.
Read-across: This fiscal measure indicates the government's intent to regulate the grey market through taxation. It creates tax compliance obligations and reduces the attractiveness of the market for both players and operators.
- January 2026
Offshore Operators
Grey-MarketISP Blocking OrderA commercial court ordered Morocco's major telecom providers to block access to unlicensed offshore gambling platforms following a request from the state operator (MDJS).
Read-across: This ruling signals a significant shift by Moroccan authorities to actively disrupt the grey market by targeting infrastructure. It creates substantial access risk for all unlicensed operators.
Licensed operators: none
As of 8 Oct 2026, no operator holds an active online licence in Western Sahara.
Notable licensed operators
SOREC
Loterie Nationale
Traps operators hit in Western Sahara
Specific operational risks that have caught new entrants in this market. Each item is country-specific. Generic gambling-ops issues (KYC, RG tools) are not included unless they have a local twist.
Navigating ISP Blocking Volatility
Market access is subject to an ongoing legal battle. A January 2026 ISP blocking order was suspended in February 2026, but a final ruling could reinstate it at any time. That poses a significant and sudden risk to business continuity.
Sources1
Ignoring Player Withholding Tax
Since January 1, 2026, winnings paid to players are subject to a 30-32% withholding tax. Operators must be aware that banks are authorized to deduct it, which directly affects player returns and the attractiveness of the platform.
Sources4
Misinterpreting the 'SADR' Licence
Obtaining a purported online gambling licence from the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) offers no legal protection or international legitimacy. The de facto governing law is Moroccan, which does not license private online operators.
Sources6
Timeline: rules in force
- January 2026
Withholding Tax on Offshore Winnings Takes Effect
A 30-32% withholding tax on winnings from foreign online gambling sites, introduced in the 2025 Finance Bill, became effective. It marked a new fiscal approach to the grey market.
Source: 4
- 2017
SADR Purports to Issue Online Licences
An entity representing the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, the Central Reserve Authority of Western Sahara, began claiming to issue international online gambling licences.
Source: 11
- 1966
Dahir No. 1-65-206 Enacted
The foundational statute establishing the legal basis for the state-monopoly model for betting and lotteries was passed. This pre-internet law still governs the sector.
Source: 4
- 1952
First Casino Opens in Marrakech
The Casino de Marrakech opened and established a long history of land-based casino gaming in Morocco primarily aimed at tourists. This predates the country's full independence.
Source: 5
Operator myths vs reality in Western Sahara
Common assumptions about gambling licensing that turn out to be wrong in practice.
- MythWe can get a 'Western Sahara' online gambling licence to operate legally.Reality
The online licence offered by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is not internationally recognized and provides no legal standing in the Moroccan-administered territory where most of the population lives. The de facto law does not permit private online operators.
Sources6
- MythThere is no real enforcement against offshore operators.
- MythWe can apply for a private sports betting or lottery licence.Reality
This is not possible. The applicable Moroccan framework is a strict state-monopoly-only model. Sports betting is exclusively controlled by MDJS, horse racing by SOREC, and the national lottery by Loterie Nationale. There is no process for licensing private competitors.
Sources12
Markets that work like Western Sahara
Compared on what our records hold for each country: whether online casino, betting, poker and lottery are licensed, state-run or banned, the licensing model, what the operator tax is levied on and its band, how most advertising channels are treated, and how foreign licences are treated. A point we hold for only one of the two countries counts for nothing.
- ZambiaChecked
Online casino and poker unregulated; lottery limited; licensed market; most ad channels banned.
- New ZealandCheckedSenegalAI overview
Online casino and poker unregulated; betting and lottery limited.
- AndorraAI overviewSão Tomé and PríncipeAI overview
Online casino and poker unregulated; licensed market; most ad channels banned.
Methodology & sources
This page is a Quick AI overview: a summary of public information, not yet checked against the law or the regulator. Treat it as a starting point. It has not yet been through our Deep AI Scan.
How we researchAsk us to run the Deep AI Scan for Western Sahara
Documents cited on this page
Looking for the player guide?
For consumer-facing information about gambling in Western Sahara (tax on winnings, where to play legally, self-exclusion options), see the Western Sahara player guide.
Disclaimer. This page reflects the law as we understood it on 8 Oct 2026. Rules change: always check the current position with La Marocaine des Jeux et des Sports (MDJS); Société Royale d'Encouragement du Cheval (SOREC); Loterie Nationale. We are not a legal adviser.