For the past three years the Assembly of North Macedonia has attempted to rewrite its gambling laws, with successive governments revising, withdrawing and redrafting legislation before Parliament finally approved a comprehensive overhaul in July 2026
The proceedings concluded with the Assembly turning its back on market liberalisation, opting instead for a state-led model that significantly enhancing central controls over existing gambling licences.
Stasya Yautodzyeva, Head of Head of Analytics at 4H Agency explains the policy shift and the outlook for North Macedonia young gambling market.
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On 29 June 2026, the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia adopted the new “Law on Games of Chance and Entertainment Games” (the 2026 Law), which entered into force on 14 July 2026, replacing a legal framework that had been in place since 2011.
In essence, the 2026 Law consolidates state control over lottery and online gambling under a single state-owned entity, introduces a range of new restrictions on land-based operators, tightens advertising rules, and raises the operational burden on the entire industry.
Background & Context
Previous gambling regulation was comparatively permissive in the online segment. Its most significant feature was the opening of online gambling to private operators in 2012, provided that the state held at least 51% of share capital and retained decision-making rights in the operator. Additionally, North Macedonia regulated B2B providers though licensing regime.
This structure allowed foreign investors to partner with the state lottery and operate online platforms in a public-private format. The rationale was clear: Macedonian players were already gambling on foreign websites, and the 2012 amendment aimed to redirect that spending into a domestically licensed and taxed environment.
Though, North Macedonia had been moving toward the elimination of private online operators well before the new law was enacted – 2026 Law did not arrive as a shock to the market, because there was hardly any market left to shock.
Following the parliamentary elections of May 2024, the incoming government made online gambling a symbolic target.
In September 2024, the Government issued instructions terminating the licenses of private online gambling companies, including NOVO VLT, Mozzart, 77 BITS, Vezuv, and 2Win.mk – most of which had operated as joint ventures with the state lottery under the previous framework. By late 2024, the only remaining active licensed online gambling site in North Macedonia was MegaWin. Even that operator, reportedly permitted to continue due to pending legal disputes, was operating in a legal grey zone and was widely expected to close before the 2026 Law came into force.
Therefore, by the time the 2026 Law was passed, the online gambling market in North Macedonia was already virtually empty of private operators
Key provisions of the 2026 Law
One of the most consequential changes is the establishment of an absolute state monopoly over all online gambling products. The right to operate these games will now belong exclusively to the Republic of North Macedonia, exercised through a state-owned joint-stock company in which the state is the sole shareholder.
Private companies are not entirely excluded, but their role changes fundamentally. Now, they may participate only as B2B providers (technology and content suppliers), whom state-owned operator may engage through a competitive tender or public call procedure. Previous licensing framework for B2B sector has been also eliminated. Therefore, a private company can bid to power the platform, but it cannot own or operate the gambling product itself.
Land-based gambling (casinos, betting shops, and slot clubs) remains open to private operators under a licensing regime, but the new law introduces a set of material new requirements:
- Casinos and slot clubs must be located at least 500 meters from any primary or secondary school.
- Operators must demonstrate technical soundness, GPS integration, and proper sealing and registration of slot machines before placing them in service.
- Fit and proper criteria now apply to management, supervisory board members, partners, and shareholders of all licensed gambling companies.
- Companies holding multiple licenses must maintain minimum capital for each license separately, etc.
Additionally, the 2026 Law significantly restricts gambling advertising, introducing rules that apply uniformly to all operator types:
- Exterior advertising on gambling premises is capped at 30 cm × 100 cm, except for border casinos (within 3 km of the state border) which retain larger signage allowances.
- Illuminated and flashing signage is prohibited entirely.
- Advertising that portrays gambling as a path to social success, financial improvement, or as a solution to personal problems is prohibited.
- Celebrity endorsements implying gambling contributed to their success are banned.
- All media advertising must carry a prominent warning that participation is restricted to persons over 18 and that gambling may cause addiction.
A notable novelty is the regulation of “giveaways”, which are social-media promotional games where participation consists of likes, tags, or shares. These are now classified as gambling and require a license and payment of a fee equal to 18% of the total prize fund value, paid before the game begins.
Most of these changes will apply from 6 months to 1 year post July 14. Land-based distance and GPS requirements will apply from January 1, 2028.
Outlook
The 2026 Law significantly strengthens gambling regulation in North Macedonia by introducing stricter player protection measures, enhanced oversight of operators, and greater market transparency. Though its most controversial element (establishment of a state monopoly for online gambling), while intended to improve control over the sector, may struggle to compete with offshore operators that offer a broader product range, better odds, more attractive promotions, and superior user experience.
As a result, a substantial share of players may migrate to unlicensed offshore platforms, reducing player protection, weakening tax revenues, and expanding the grey market. Experience from other European jurisdictions suggests that competitive licensing systems generally achieve higher channelization and stronger fiscal outcomes while maintaining robust regulatory safeguards.
By contrast, the land-based reforms introduced by the 2026 Law are largely consistent with European best practices and are expected to improve the safety, transparency, and accountability of the market. Ultimately, the success of the reform will depend on whether the state operator can retain players within the regulated online market.
