Maputo, Sept. 3, 2025 (Lusa) - The Mozambican state collected 175.2 million meticais (€2.3 million) from taxes paid by casinos in the first half of 2025, 22.5% less than in the same period last year.
According to budget execution data from January to June from the Ministry of Finance, Mozambique collected only 26.3% of the revenue it expects in 2025 from the Special Tax on Gambling, representing 0.1% of total state revenue over the six months.
In the first half of 2024, this revenue totalled 226 million meticais (€3 million), according to the same document.
The Mozambican state expects to collect 500 million meticais (€ 6.7 million) in taxes paid by casinos in 2025, a target that represents 29% more than last year, according to the proposal for the Economic and Social Plan and State Budget 2025, approved by parliament in May.
The government planned to collect almost 1,235 million meticais (€17.2 million) in 2024, but only realised around a third (31.4%) of this target, which was also missed in 2023.
Overall, the revenue forecast for the state this year, from all taxes, amounts to 385.9 billion meticais (€5.15 billion), an increase of 10% compared to what was realised in 2024, according to the same document.
A total of five "private sector ventures" in this sector generated investments of 36 million dollars (€30.7 million), announced the then President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi, in August 2024, detailing that they are "of note in the tourism chain", such as casino and slot machine concessions in Maputo, Beira, Tete, Nampula, Matola and Pemba.
According to information from Mozambique's National Directorate of Gambling, the award of casino concessions in the country requires a share capital of the concessionaire's commercial company of no less than the equivalent of almost $2.7 million (€2.3 million) and an investment, over up to five years, of at least $5.5 million (€4.7 million).
For the effective operation of games of chance, the concessionaires must pay the Mozambican state a Special Gambling Tax, levied on gross gambling revenues, of 20% for concessions of up to 14 years, 25% for concessions of up to 19 years, 30% for concessions of 20 to 24 years and 35% for concessions of 25 to 30 years.
'Concessionaires must also pay Stamp Duty, corresponding to 50% of the price of entrance tickets to casinos,“ states the National Directorate for Games of Fortune or Chance, while adding that they 'are exempt from paying any other taxes levied on gambling profits”, as well as import duties on imported equipment and materials intended exclusively for the operation of the casino.
PVJ/ADB // ADB.
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