Online gambling in North Macedonia is heavily restricted rather than an open, licensed commercial market. Lotteries and online activity are treated as state prerogatives, and the main authorised online/video-lottery operation belongs to a joint venture between the national lottery (51%) and Casinos Austria (49%). The gambling law does contain an online operator licence (reported at EUR 50,000 for four years), but in practice no private online licences have been issued, so international sites that accept Macedonian players generally operate offshore, outside domestic authorisation. Land-based casinos and betting shops are legal and licensed. Gambling winnings are taxed at 15%, and crypto sits in an unregulated space.

Gambling is governed by the Law on Games of Chance and Entertainment Games (2013), administered by the Ministry of Finance through its Department for Games of Chance, which handles licensing, monitoring and enforcement. Land-based casinos, betting shops (kladilnici) and slot clubs are legal and widespread. The online sphere is different: it is dominated by the state and its partner. The main lawful online/video-lottery operation is run by the National Videolottery of the Republic of North Macedonia, a joint venture in which the state lottery holds 51% and Casinos Austria holds 49% (founded 2013, operating video lottery terminals since January 2014).

The law provides for an online operator licence (reported at around EUR 50,000 for a four-year term), but in practice private online licences have not been issued, so there is no meaningful open commercial iGaming market. International operators that accept players from North Macedonia generally do so from abroad, in a grey/unregulated space rather than under domestic authorisation. Offshore sites offer no local consumer protection or recourse through the Macedonian regulator.

Licensed vs offshore

Domestic (authorised)Offshore
Online casino/bettingState-linked video-lottery operation; private online licences not issued in practiceNot Macedonian-licensed
Land-basedCasinos, betting shops, slot clubs (Ministry of Finance)n/a
Consumer recourseVia Ministry of FinanceNone locally
Legal certaintyClearGrey / unregulated

Reform debate

Gambling reform has been contested for years. In February 2024 parliament adopted a package of amendments that would, among other things, require gambling venues to sit at least 500 metres from any primary or secondary school and raise the betting-shop licence fee from EUR 105,000 to EUR 200,000. However, President Stevo Pendarovski declined to sign the decree and returned the amendments, and a follow-up vote in March 2024 failed to pass them, so these measures did not enter into force. Through 2025 a further overhaul remained under debate in parliament, with proposals for tighter distance rules, higher fees and advertising restrictions still contested. Readers should treat any specific figure as a proposal rather than settled law until it is confirmed in force.

Payments and crypto

Domestic legal play uses the Macedonian denar (MKD) through ordinary bank cards and cash at licensed venues. There is no broad regulated online payment ecosystem for private online operators because private online licensing does not function in practice.

Cryptocurrency is not illegal but is largely unregulated. There is no dedicated crypto statute; virtual-asset activity is addressed mainly through anti-money-laundering rules, and because North Macedonia is not an EU member the EU’s MiCA framework does not directly apply. Gambling with crypto therefore almost always means using offshore sites, inheriting all the legal uncertainty of unauthorised play.

Winnings tax

According to PwC Tax Summaries, gains from games of chance are taxed at a flat 15% in North Macedonia, higher than the 10% flat rate on most other personal income. Winnings not exceeding MKD 5,000 are exempt; above that threshold the full amount is taxed. Rules and thresholds can change, so confirm current treatment with the Public Revenue Office or a qualified tax adviser before relying on any figure.

Safety and safer gambling

North Macedonia does not operate a single, well-publicised national problem-gambling helpline. If gambling stops being fun, seek help through your GP or local mental-health and addiction services, and use tools such as deposit limits and self-exclusion where offered. International support is available through organisations like Gambling Therapy (gamblingtherapy.org). Treat any offshore site with caution: verify identity, keep records, and never chase losses.

You must be 18+ to gamble in North Macedonia. Gambling should be entertainment, not income. If it stops being fun, step away and seek support.

Sources