Online Gambling Laws in North Macedonia

Formerly part of Yugoslavia, the Republic of North Macedonia has a relatively short history, with gambling only legalized once the country gained its independence in 1991. However, it took a while longer for online gambling to enjoy the same legal status in the country, and even then, it was only because of the pandemic. Read everything you need to know about North Macedonia's gambling laws.

Gambling Regulation by Casino Type

The Law on Games of Chance and Entertainment Games, enacted in 1991, made all forms of gambling legal in North Macedonia. Interestingly, due to the pandemic, online gambling was only fully legalized in 2020. The country's Ministry of Finance issues licences.

Look at how Macedonia's gambling laws apply to each gambling activity below.

Casino Games

Land-based casino gambling has been legal in North Macedonia since 1991, with operators required to hold a licence. There are seven proper casinos (including live dealer tables) in the country, with 2 in the capital, Skopje, and 3 in Gevgelija, a town often referred to as the Macedonian Las Vegas. The 100+ slot halls scattered across the country are often erroneously referred to as casinos.

Online casino gambling is also legal in Macedonia, but only from 2020. Before this, the only form of online gambling permitted in the country was lottery games. However, due to the effects of the pandemic resulting in the closure of the country's slots halls, a law was passed allowing online casino gambling to those already holding a land-based casino licence to negate the effects on the economy.

Macedonia's ISPs block unlicensed online casinos, but many are still accessible, providing residents with more options for slots, table games and online live casino games.

Poker

Poker gambling is legal in Macedonia and has been since 1991. However, there are no poker clubs or separate poker licenses in the country, with games running only in licensed casinos. Online poker is also legal in North Macedonia, but again, it can only be offered by existing licensed online casinos.

Bingo

In Macedonia, bingo games are classed as a type of lottery. While legal, they fall under the monopoly of the country's lottery operator, Lotarija na Makedonija AD Skopje (Macedonian National Lottery). The operator doesn't run any bingo halls, with Tombola TV Bingo being the most popular form of the game. Charity bingo events are allowed to run under special permission.

Online bingo gambling is also legal in Macedonia, and while the Macedonian National Lottery also holds a monopoly on such activities, they don't currently have an online platform. Those wishing to play online bingo can do so at foreign sites.

Lotteries

The lottery was one of the first forms of gambling to be legalized in North Macedonia in 1991 and is under monopoly control by Lotarija na Makedonija AD Skopje. Players can buy lottery tickets via the operator's lottery terminals, of which there are some 2,000 or so scattered across the country.

Online lottery gambling is also legal in Macedonia and has been since 2011, but again, it is under monopoly control by Lotarija na Makedonija AD Skopje. Macedonians can buy tickets via the operator's website or play online lottery games for real money via numerous offshore online lottery sites.

Social Gambling and Crypto Casinos

There is no specific mention of social casinos, lootboxes or skins gambling in North Macedonia's gambling legislation, leaving these activities unregulated.

In North Macedonia, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are illegal as they are a form of currency not regulated by the banking system. By extension, gambling with cryptocurrencies is illegal in the country. As such, none of Macedonia's gambling venues accept cryptocurrencies. However, players can get around this online using third-party payment processors or at foreign crypto casinos.

North Macedonia Sports Betting Laws

Sports betting is legal in Macedonia and has been since 1991, with operators required to obtain a licence. Currently, eight different operators provide sports betting markets to the Macedonian people, with the activity fairly popular in the country.

Online sports betting is also legal in North Macedonia, but the activity was only legalized in 2020. The existing licensed bookmakers also offer online sports betting markets, and punters in the country can access more opportunities at the numerous offshore online sportsbooks that accept Macedonian members.

Gambling Age Restriction

Like most countries, the legal gambling age in Macedonia is 18, with only those aged 18 or over permitted to enter gambling premises and participate in gambling activities.

Tax Regulation

Macedonia'sThe Law dictates Macedonia's gambling tax regulation on Tax Procedures. Operators are charged a 20% flat rate plus a 3% healthcare financing fee on gross gambling revenue. Fixed fees also apply in some cases, e.g. €3,000 per month per Roulette table and €1,725 per month for other gambling tables. Operators are also liable for 10% corporation tax. Players in Macedonia are subject to a tax of 15% on gambling winnings.

History of Gambling Laws in North Macedonia

The earliest form of legal gambling was the country's lottery, established in 1972 when Macedonia was still part of Yugoslavia. When Macedonia gained its independence from Yugoslavia and communist rule in 1991, all forms of gambling were made legal under the Law on Games of Chance and Entertainment Games. During the pandemic, Macedonia made online gambling legal in 2020 to mitigate the effects on existing land-based gambling venues.

Key Facts

Macedonia has a permissive stance when it comes to gambling. Here are the key points regarding gambling in North Macedonia:

• Casino gambling is legal in Macedonia: Operators must hold a licence, seven casinos and 100+ slots halls currently exist, and players can access online casino slots and other games via licensed online casinos.
• Poker gambling is legal: There are no standalone poker clubs, only casinos that host poker games.
• Bingo gambling is legal: Games are classed as a type of lottery and are under monopoly control by the Macedonian National Lottery, with online games, although legal, not currently offered by the operator.
• Lottery gambling is legal: Lottery games come under monopoly control of the Macedonian National Lottery, both offline and online.
• Sports betting is legal: Numerous operators offer offline and online sports betting markets.