Lottomatica's recent agreement to acquire Cirsa, announced on September 2, integrates four Moroccan casinos into one of Europe’s foremost publicly traded gambling firms. Although Morocco contributes roughly 2% to Cirsa's revenue and about 4% to its earnings, the merger underscores a significant gap in the country’s online betting licensing framework.
Neither Lottomatica nor Cirsa has indicated intentions to pursue online betting licenses in North Africa, highlighting discrepancies in Morocco’s gambling market. While international investment can thrive in land-based gambling—with Cirsa notably expanding its Marrakech operations last November—there is no parallel licensing pathway for online betting.
Cirsa's IPO prospectus is straightforward regarding this issue, stating, "Online gaming only exists for betting, which is operated by a state agency," clarifying that online casino games are not permitted in Morocco.
This licensing gap also affects Tunisia and Egypt, where authorities have emphasized prohibition and enforcement rather than creating opportunities for private online operators.
In Morocco, sports betting, including online options and virtual events, is exclusively managed by the state-owned Marocaine des Jeux et des Sports (MDJS), which is predominantly owned by the government. This exclusivity is reportedly sustained until 2036 due to an unpublished agreement with the state. The operations are executed under a managed contract rather than a traditional license, while unauthorized gaming activities are criminal offenses as outlined in the country’s penal code.
To address the rise of offshore betting, MDJS has turned to the judiciary. On January 12, the Casablanca commercial court instructed Maroc Telecom, Orange Maroc, and Inwi to block access to 19 specific betting websites and local payment processors, imposing a penalty of MAD10,000 per day for non-compliance. The court justified this directive, stating, "Internet access providers are technically the only parties able to end the manifestly unlawful disturbance resulting from access to unauthorized betting sites."
However, this order was short-lived; a commercial court of appeal granted a stay on January 26, and by February 12, the order was annulled, ending the daily fines. MDJS retains the option to appeal this decision.
Amid these developments, MDJS's Director General Younes El Mechrafi highlighted in December the financial repercussions of unregulated offshore betting, estimating illegal sports betting stakes at approximately MAD3.5 billion in 2024 and presenting a cost to the state around MAD700 million, affecting both the national sports development fund and the Treasury.
In Tunisia, the legal landscape governing gambling is established by Decree-Law 74-20, issued in October 1974, where the only authorized sports betting venue is the state-operated Promosport, while horse racing betting is overseen by the Agence Tunisienne de Solidarité. Currently, parliamentary discussions are underway regarding two different approaches to online gambling, but neither has yielded an actionable licensing framework.
A proposed private members' bill, referred to as 2026/009 and introduced by 23 deputies on January 20, aims to amend the 1974 decree-law to prohibit all online gambling. It mandates that internet and payment service providers block access to online gambling platforms. MP Yasser Gourari, supporting this initiative, emphasized the bill's stringent penalties, including fines ranging from MAD10,000 to MAD500,000 and prison sentences from one to five years for violations, with harsher consequences for recidivism or involvement of minors.
Despite its initial introduction, the bill has stalled after only one committee review on February 3.
The government is also exploring potential reforms through a new sports betting and gambling bill. Sports Minister Sadok Mourali noted in November 2024 that a draft had been circulated among 26 public institutions for consultation, aiming to modernize legislation in line with international standards related to sports betting manipulation and money laundering. The specifics of the draft remain unpublished, including whether it would permit licensing for private operators or solely modernize Promosport's existing monopoly.
Egypt’s gambling framework, defined by Law 8 of 2022, primarily addresses physical gambling venues and prohibits locals from participating in gambling games outside licensed establishments. The current landscape lacks any licensing provisions for online betting.
In October 2024, the then-prosecutor general mandated the freezing of e-wallets and mobile lines associated with betting agents. More recently, in February, regulatory officials announced efforts to block around 80% of betting applications by the end of that month.
In a May statement, Ahmed Badawi, chair of the House Communications Committee, indicated plans to amend the anti-cybercrime law to specifically address online betting, with discussions of severe penalties including life sentences for the most serious infractions; however, no legislative text has been proposed yet.
In January 2025, a private member’s bill tabled by MP Martha Mahrous included provisions for two to five years of imprisonment and hefty fines against promoters and agents; this bill remains untouched in legislative discussions.
Parliament adjourned on July 22, having passed numerous laws, but none related to betting. Reports suggest that electronic betting remains under review as of August 17, separate from the cybercrime updates. The House is set to reconvene on October 1.
Currently, no legislative initiatives in Egypt have established pathways for private online betting licenses, as the government opts for increasingly strict enforcement.
The situation across North Africa reveals a persistent licensing gap. Morocco has a state monopoly attempting to defend its exclusivity through the courts, while both Tunisia and Egypt grapple with competing proposals that have failed to progress meaningfully. In these nations, private online betting remains unregulated, with governments engaging in blocking and punitive measures without addressing the demand for such services. The stark contrast between legal land-based gambling and the unregulated nature of online betting remains evident, particularly as casinos attract investment while online options languish outside legal frameworks. The actual size of the unlicensed market remains largely unknown, with MDJS estimating it at MAD3.5 billion annually in Morocco, leaving Tunisia and Egypt without transparent figures. As long as there is no available licensing, these markets remain challenging to supervise or tax, leading governments to focus on suppression rather than integration of online betting into regulated markets.
