Morocco's Betting Monopoly and the 2026 Crackdown on Offshore Sites

Morocco treats gambling as a legal activity, but only under strict state control. The legal base remains Dahir No. 1-65-206 from 1966, which authorises land-based casinos, lotteries and pari-mutuel betting.

Online gambling sits in a different place. The country has no online gambling regulator and no legal framework for private online operators. In 2026, the courts and police moved hard against the offshore brands filling that gap.

Three Monopolies, No Single Regulator

Morocco has no single national gambling regulator. Three state monopolies split the market: SOREC runs horse racing, MDJS handles fixed-odds sports betting and scratchcards, and Loterie Nationale runs draw-based lotteries.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance oversees MDJS and Loterie Nationale. MDJS has held the sports betting monopoly since 1962. In February 2023, it contracted Sisal Jeux Maroc to run its betting for eight years, renewable for two more.

Private online products have no route in. No authority licenses online casino, poker or private sports betting. Legal online play is limited to MDJS sports betting and Loterie Nationale games, with a minimum age of 18.

Compliance Rules for Players

Protection tools sit inside the monopoly. MDJS runs its own self-exclusion scheme for players. Tax rules now reach offshore play. Since July 2025, Morocco has applied a 30% withholding tax on winnings from offshore betting sites, plus a 2% solidarity contribution.

The January 2026 Blocking Order

The biggest change came from a courtroom. On 12 January 2026, the Casablanca Commercial Court ordered telecom operators to block several unauthorised foreign betting sites after an MDJS complaint.

The order covered the full network. Maroc Telecom, Orange Maroc and Inwi had to block all unauthorised betting sites, including subdomains and linked IP addresses. Named platforms included 1xBet, Betwinner, Melbet, Linebet and Stake.

MDJS built its case carefully. A bailiff's report dated 15 December 2025 documented 15 betting platforms operating from Moroccan territory. Providers that ignore the order face fines of 10,000 dirhams per day.

Telecom companies pushed back. The operators appealed the decision to cut access to foreign betting platforms. Critics also warn that bettors could bypass blocks with VPNs or mirror sites.

Influencers and Payments in the Spotlight

Marketing became a criminal matter. The national judicial police began investigating 36 influencers for promoting illegal betting sites, following an MDJS complaint to prosecutors. Investigators want to prove more than paid promotion. They aim to show that influencer contracts amount to active complicity in illegal gambling, rather than simple advertising services. Prosecutors seek "the prosecution of all contributors to the promotion of these sites." Money flows are also under watch. The MDJS complaint asked Maroc Telecom and Orange to stop illegal betting sites using their networks to transfer large sums. MDJS had earlier alerted Bank Al-Maghrib and the Office des Changes about 1xBet operating despite its ban.

Where Betting Revenue Goes

MDJS defends its monopoly with a funding argument. After management costs, all MDJS revenue goes to the National Fund for Sports Development, according to the operator. The wider campaign began in late 2025 and targets payment channels and social media pages as well as websites. Supporters say blocking keeps betting inside the legal system and keeps revenue in Morocco.

A Monopoly With New Teeth

Morocco's online gambling rules have not changed on paper. What changed in 2026 was enforcement, with court-ordered blocks, daily fines, a 30% tax on offshore winnings and criminal probes into influencers. Also read: How Mobile Wallets Power Cameroon's Sportsbooks