Mozambique’s casino industry misses tax goals for second year running
Officials did not list precise reasons for the slump, but several pressures are weighing on the sector.
Mozambique.- Mozambique has released its gambling industry earnings for the first six months of 2025, revealing a significant decline in tax revenue from casinos compared to the same period last year.
According to data published by the Ministry of Finance, the state collected 75.2 million meticals (€1.0m) from January to June, a 22.5 per cent drop from the 226 million meticals (€3.0m) recorded in the same period in 2024.
The amount represents just 26.3 per cent of the government’s expected revenue of 500 million meticals (€6.6m) from casinos this year. This projection was based on a 29 per cent increase from the total 387.7 million meticals (€5.1m) collected in 2024.
The decline marks the second consecutive year the government has missed its gambling tax revenue target. In 2024, the government had projected to collect nearly 1.235 billion meticals (€16.4m) in gambling tax revenue, but only achieved around 31.4 per cent of that goal.
Officials did not list precise reasons for the slump, but several pressures are weighing on the sector. Protests and unrest in cities such as Maputo have disrupted tourism flows, while the insurgency in Cabo Delgado continues to impact investor confidence.
The Ministry also warned of natural disaster risks. Its Fiscal Risks Report for 2025 noted that the expected La Niña phenomenon could cut national growth from 5.1 per cent to 4.4 per cent, with floods threatening agriculture, fisheries, construction and trade.
Casino taxes make up only about 0.1 per cent of state revenue. Yet their underperformance highlights broader problems in Mozambique’s tourism recovery. Former president Filipe Nyusi previously pointed to $36m in private investment for five new casino and slot-machine projects in Maputo, Beira, Tete, Nampula, Matola and Pemba.
The country’s casino sector is governed by strict rules. Operators must have a minimum share capital of $2.7m and invest at least $5.5m over five years. Tax rates range from 20 per cent to 35 per cent of gross gaming revenue, depending on the length of the concession, plus a 50 per cent stamp duty on entrance tickets.
