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Sovereign state
Europe
ISO ME

Montenegro: gambling regulation and licensing

  • Online sports bettingRegulated
  • Online casinoRegulated
  • Online pokerRegulated
  • Lottery and iLotteryMonopoly
  • Land-based (reference)Regulated
Regulator
Administration for Games of Chance
Headline tax
15% GGR
Licence required
Yes
Last verified
15 Oct 2026

Summary

Montenegro licenses online betting, online casino and virtual slot games, but only as an extension of a land-based licence. The Law on Games of Chance, adopted on 31 July 2025 and in force since 14 August 2025, replaced the 2004 law. It treats gambling as an exclusive right of the State, granted by the Government for casinos and by the Administration for Games of Chance (Uprava za igre na sreću), part of the state administration working with the Ministry of Finance, for betting shops and slot clubs. A company seated in Montenegro with a land-based approval can apply for an online decision for internet betting, or for virtual casino and slot games, valid until its land-based approval expires and limited to one website. Each online category pays a fixed €10,000 a month plus 15% of stakes less payouts. Casinos pay a one-off €2 million and are confined to hotels of five stars or more. Lottery games are reserved to a company wholly owned by the Government. Players must be 18, online registration needs video identification, and each online deposit triggers an automatic photo check. The 2025 law also restricts advertising, with no broadcast gambling advertising between 06:00 and 22:00 and bonus promotion confined to operators' own sites and sponsored clubs' sites. Unlicensed sites can be blocked at internet service provider level, and banks can be told to refuse payments to them; the Government said in June 2026 that card payments to foreign illegal platforms had been stopped. Concessions under the old law were treated as terminated 270 days after the new law took effect, so every operator now needs a 2025 law approval. The Administration reported €38.8 million of gambling fee revenue for January to September 2026, of which €15.8 million came from online games.

Common pitfalls

Assuming a stand-alone online licence exists: the online decision attaches to a land-based betting, slot or casino approval held by a Montenegrin company. Reading the 15% as a tax on net revenue after bonuses: the base is stakes less payouts, and bonus transfers from the promotional account count as stakes. Relying on approvals or lists issued under the 2004 law, whose concessions lapsed after the 270-day transition. Advertising bonuses on affiliate or media sites, which the 2025 law confines to the operator's own site and sponsored clubs' sites.

Key facts

Regulator
Administration for Games of Chance (UIS)
Regulator type
Dedicated regulator
Headline tax
15% GGR
Licence required
Yes
Minimum age
18+
Tax base
Fees (naknade) under the Law on Games of Chance, not a separate gambling tax. Online betting and online casino: variable fee of 15% of total stakes less payouts each month, plus a fixed €10,000 a month per online category (art. 83). Land-based: casinos 15% of the monthly table result plus €100,000 a year (art. 36); slot clubs 15% of stakes less payouts plus €75 per machine a month (art. 63); betting shops 10% of stakes less payouts plus €750 per shop a month, with bonuses and vouchers excluded from stakes (art. 51); lottery 10% of sales less the prize fund plus €100,000 a year (art. 72).
Capital
Podgorica
Currency
EUR
Official languages
Montenegrin

How to get a gambling licence in Montenegro

The regulator is the Administration for Games of Chance (UIS).

We record 5 licence types for Montenegro.

For the Online gambling decision: internet betting, the annual fee is €120,000 (as of 14 Aug 2025).

Applications
Accepted on a rolling basis
Time to licence
The Administration decides on an approval within 60 days of the application and on an online decision within 60 days (arts. 24 and 78(2)); online game rules need separate consent within 30 days (art. 79).
Local presence
A local company or establishment is required.
Financial guarantee
Unconditional first-demand guarantee from a credit institution seated in Montenegro, held for the approval period and 90 days after: €30,000 plus €3,000 per betting shop (art. 44(3)), €35,000 plus €3,000 per slot club (art. 54(3)) and €400,000 per casino (art. 33(3)).
Headline tax
15% GGR (see Taxation for the full position)

Licence fees in Montenegro

Licence typeApplication feeAnnual feeTerm
Online gambling decision: internet bettingFixed €10,000 a month, paid by the 15th for the current month, plus a variable fee of 15% of total stakes less payouts, paid monthly (art. 83(1) to (3)). The annual figure is twelve monthly fixed payments.Not yet verified€120,000 (as of 14 Aug 2025)Valid until the underlying approval expires (art. 77(2))
Online gambling decision: virtual casino and virtual slotsFixed €10,000 a month plus a variable fee of 15% of total stakes less payouts, paid monthly (art. 83(4) to (6)). The annual figure is twelve monthly fixed payments.Not yet verified€120,000 (as of 14 Aug 2025)Valid until the underlying approval expires (art. 77(2))
Betting approval (land-based)One-off fee of €1,000 per betting shop (art. 44(2)); fixed €750 a month per shop plus 10% of stakes less payouts (art. 51).€1,000 (as of 14 Aug 2025)Not yet verified8 years (art. 44(7))
Slot club approval (land-based)One-off fee of €3,000 per slot club (art. 54(2)); fixed €75 a month per machine plus 15% of stakes less payouts (art. 63).€3,000 (as of 14 Aug 2025)Not yet verified8 years (art. 54(7))
Casino approval (Government)One-off fee of €2,000,000 per casino within 30 days of the approval (art. 33(2) and (7)); annual fixed fee of €100,000 per casino plus 15% of the monthly table result and 15% of the retained share in player-versus-player games and tournaments (art. 36).€2,000,000 (as of 14 Aug 2025)€100,000 (as of 14 Aug 2025)15 years (art. 33(10))

Built from the record on this page, last verified 15 Oct 2026. The Licensing and Taxation sections carry the full detail and sources.

Licensing

Licence required
Yes
Application window
Rolling
Local establishment required
Yes
Local server required
Not yet verified
Typical time to licence
The Administration decides on an approval within 60 days of the application and on an online decision within 60 days (arts. 24 and 78(2)); online game rules need separate consent within 30 days (art. 79).
Bank guarantee or bond
Unconditional first-demand guarantee from a credit institution seated in Montenegro, held for the approval period and 90 days after: €30,000 plus €3,000 per betting shop (art. 44(3)), €35,000 plus €3,000 per slot club (art. 54(3)) and €400,000 per casino (art. 33(3)).
Certification requirements
Technical conditions are checked by a legal entity authorised by the Administration (arts. 23 and 57). Slot machines must return at least 80% of stakes and be sealed (arts. 57 and 58). The online system must connect to the Administration's supervision system before play starts (art. 78(4)).
Barriers to entry
Online access is not a stand-alone licence: only a joint stock or limited company seated in Montenegro, with gambling as its main business, that holds a land-based betting, slot or casino approval can obtain an online decision (arts. 21 and 77). Fit and proper checks extend to founders and beneficial owners (art. 23), foreign documents must be translated and notarised, and a company that loses an approval waits two years to reapply (art. 86). Under the previous law the regulator listed 13 online operators active on 2 July 2025; no register under the 2025 law was found.

Licence types

  • Online gambling decision: internet betting

    Scope
    Betting on sports and other events over the internet, for a company that already holds an approval for a game of chance under art. 6(1). One starting website (IP address, site or domain) per operator (art. 78(6)).
    Term
    Valid until the underlying approval expires (art. 77(2))
    Annual fee
    €120,000 as of 14 Aug 2025
    Fee basis
    Fixed €10,000 a month, paid by the 15th for the current month, plus a variable fee of 15% of total stakes less payouts, paid monthly (art. 83(1) to (3)). The annual figure is twelve monthly fixed payments.

  • Online gambling decision: virtual casino and virtual slots

    Scope
    Casino games and slot games offered over the internet, for a company that already holds an approval for a game of chance under art. 6(1).
    Term
    Valid until the underlying approval expires (art. 77(2))
    Annual fee
    €120,000 as of 14 Aug 2025
    Fee basis
    Fixed €10,000 a month plus a variable fee of 15% of total stakes less payouts, paid monthly (art. 83(4) to (6)). The annual figure is twelve monthly fixed payments.

  • Betting approval (land-based)

    Scope
    Betting shops, with cashier and self-service terminals; a prerequisite for online betting. Minimum share capital €200,000 (art. 50).
    Term
    8 years (art. 44(7))
    Application fee
    €1,000 as of 14 Aug 2025
    Fee basis
    One-off fee of €1,000 per betting shop (art. 44(2)); fixed €750 a month per shop plus 10% of stakes less payouts (art. 51).
    Renewal terms
    New approval applied for no earlier than 120 and no later than 60 days before expiry (art. 44(8)).

  • Slot club approval (land-based)

    Scope
    Slot clubs of at least 35 m² with at least ten machines; minimum share capital €200,000 (arts. 55 and 62).
    Term
    8 years (art. 54(7))
    Application fee
    €3,000 as of 14 Aug 2025
    Fee basis
    One-off fee of €3,000 per slot club (art. 54(2)); fixed €75 a month per machine plus 15% of stakes less payouts (art. 63).
    Renewal terms
    New approval applied for no earlier than 120 and no later than 60 days before expiry (art. 54(8)).

  • Casino approval (Government)

    Scope
    One casino in a hotel of five stars or more, at least 400 m² and seven tables; minimum share capital €250,000 (arts. 32 to 34).
    Term
    15 years (art. 33(10))
    Application fee
    €2,000,000 as of 14 Aug 2025
    Annual fee
    €100,000 as of 14 Aug 2025
    Fee basis
    One-off fee of €2,000,000 per casino within 30 days of the approval (art. 33(2) and (7)); annual fixed fee of €100,000 per casino plus 15% of the monthly table result and 15% of the retained share in player-versus-player games and tournaments (art. 36).
    Renewal terms
    New approval applied for no earlier than six and no later than three months before expiry (art. 33(13)).

Taxation

Headline GGR tax
15% GGR
Effective date
14 Aug 2025
Withholding mechanism
Variable fees are paid by the 15th of the month for the previous month and fixed online and betting fees by the 15th for the current month; operators file a monthly record with the final calculation and proof of payment with the Administration (arts. 51 and 83(7)). Fee revenue goes to the state budget and municipal budgets (art. 4).
Tax base
Fees (naknade) under the Law on Games of Chance, not a separate gambling tax. Online betting and online casino: variable fee of 15% of total stakes less payouts each month, plus a fixed €10,000 a month per online category (art. 83). Land-based: casinos 15% of the monthly table result plus €100,000 a year (art. 36); slot clubs 15% of stakes less payouts plus €75 per machine a month (art. 63); betting shops 10% of stakes less payouts plus €750 per shop a month, with bonuses and vouchers excluded from stakes (art. 51); lottery 10% of sales less the prize fund plus €100,000 a year (art. 72).

Compliance

Minimum age
18+
National self-exclusion
Register of excluded persons (Evidencija isključenih lica)
KYC timing
At registration, and again before every deposit
AML regime
Operators identify players under the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (art. 27(14)), give the Administration and the police financial intelligence unit direct electronic access to five years of supervision data, and file an annual statistical report with both by the end of January (art. 27). Inspection plans are risk-based and prepared with the financial intelligence unit (arts. 89 and 90).
AML supervisor
Ministry of Finance games of chance inspection, with the financial intelligence unit of the Police
Loss limits
A player may ask in writing or electronically to be excluded, or to cap the maximum amount staked and the amount lost; the operator must apply it within 24 hours and notify the Administration (art. 14(3) to (5)).
Source of funds thresholds
Betting operators must record players who stake €50 or more and winners paid €300 or more (art. 27(4)).
Central monitoring system
Real-time online supervision: operators record all stakes, payouts and winnings in real time, transmit data at intervals of no more than 10 minutes and allow the Administration direct connection at any time (art. 27). The Administration began operating a unified supervision information system on 1 November 2024.
KYC requirements
Online players register at the operator's venue or website giving name, address, personal or document number, a copy of an identity card or passport, date of birth, email, mobile number and payment account (art. 81). Remote registration requires video-electronic identification under the AML law (art. 82); before each online deposit the operator matches a fresh digital photograph of the player automatically against the registration data and checks the deposit comes from the player's own account (art. 84(5)).
Stake limits
Not yet verified
Mandatory player messaging
Operators must make help information for problem gambling available, and venues must display a 100 x 80 cm poster on addiction prevention, the under-18 ban and helpline details (art. 5).
Reporting obligations
Monthly records with the final calculation and proof of fee payment by the 15th of the following month; annual statistical report to the Administration and the financial intelligence unit by the end of January (arts. 27 and 83).
Game content restrictions
No betting on parliamentary, local, presidential or EU elections, on sports events of under-18 teams, or by an operator on events involving a sports club it owns (art. 20(1) points 22 to 24). Bonuses only through a separate promotional account; bonus winnings cannot be paid out from it, and a transfer to the main account counts as a stake (art. 85).

Advertising

Advertising permitted
Yes
Watershed
No advertising of gambling services on radio and television from 06:00 to 22:00 (art. 17(1) point 2).
Sponsorship rules
Gambling advertising on sports equipment is banned in all categories up to age 18 (art. 20(1) point 26). Operators may show their logo in reports of socially responsible campaigns without inviting play (art. 18).
Bonus advertising rules
Bonuses, jackpots, prizes and free spins may be advertised only on the operator's official website and on the websites of sports clubs and associations it sponsors (art. 17(1) point 1).
Mandatory warnings
Advertising of gambling services must warn that gambling can cause addiction and that persons under 18 are prohibited from taking part (art. 17(2)).
Penalties for breach
Fines of €5,000 to €20,000 for a company and €1,000 to €2,000 for its responsible person (art. 99); €550 to €6,000 for an entrepreneur (art. 101) and €1,000 to €2,000 for a natural person (art. 102) who advertises contrary to arts. 16 to 19. Advertising in the media is supervised by the ministry responsible for media and the media regulator (art. 88(2)).

Restrictions

  • No gambling advertising in radio and television programmes for minors and young people, or 15 minutes before or after them, and none in media or at events intended for minors (art. 16)
  • No advertising of gambling services on radio and television between 06:00 and 22:00 (art. 17(1) point 2)
  • Print advertising only on sports pages; online advertising only in publications wholly devoted to sport or in the sports sections of other publications (art. 17(1) points 3 and 4)
  • No advertising of operators without a Montenegrin approval, in any medium (art. 17)
  • No gambling advertising in public places, other than non-inviting signage on venues and logo branding on the operator's own vehicles; no illuminated signs or LED screens on venue exteriors except casinos in five-star hotels (art. 19)
  • Fourteen content rules, including no presenting gambling as a solution to financial problems, as harmless, or as part of daily life, and no offers of free or discounted play (art. 17)
  • Lottery games are exempt from the advertising channel restrictions in art. 17(1)

Payments

Credit card ban
No
Crypto stance
Not yet verified
Permitted methods
Payment card or other instrument issued by a credit institution, Transfer from the player's transaction account, Mobile or internet payment executed by a credit institution, Cash at the operator's licensed venue
Payment blocking regime
The Administration may require credit institutions not to execute payments to accounts of unlicensed operators, and payment service providers must comply without delay (art. 96); the competent authority may also request blocking of payment transactions that enable unlicensed online gambling (art. 80(4)). In June 2026 the Government said card payments to foreign illegal platforms had been stopped.
Withdrawal timeframe rules
Deposits to an online player account can be used only for play and cannot be paid out unless they are winnings (art. 84(2)).
Currency restrictions
Stakes and payouts only in euros (art. 4(2)).

Enforcement

ISP blocking
Yes
DNS blocking
Not yet verified
Payment blocking
Yes
App store takedowns
Not yet verified
Administrative penalties
Fines of €5,000 to €20,000 for companies and €1,000 to €2,000 for responsible persons (art. 99), €550 to €6,000 for entrepreneurs (art. 101) and €1,000 to €2,000 for natural persons (art. 102), with confiscation of proceeds and equipment (art. 100); 90-day closure orders enforced by sealing (art. 92); revocation of the approval, with a two-year bar on reapplying that extends to the same owners (art. 86).
Operator liability
Organising gambling without an approval is prohibited (art. 20(1) points 12 and 18). Inspectors may ban unlicensed gambling, seal premises and seize equipment and cash (art. 91). Internet service providers must block all domains, IP addresses and mirror sites of unlicensed online operators on the order of the electronic communications regulator (art. 80).
Player liability
Art. 20(1) point 3 prohibits taking part in foreign games of chance for which stakes are paid in Montenegro, which for online games means games offered by entities without a Montenegrin online approval; art. 102 sets fines of €1,000 to €2,000 for natural persons acting contrary to art. 20. No enforcement against players was found.

Timeline

  1. 1 Oct 2008

    Administration for Games of Chance begins operating

  2. 1 Nov 2024

    Administration starts its unified information system for supervising operators

  3. 2 Jul 2025

    Regulator lists 13 online operators active under the 2004 law

  4. 25 Jul 2025

    Government grants a 10-year concession for the Merit Royal Budva casino under the 2004 law, with a one-off fee of €2,000,000

  5. 31 Jul 2025

    Parliament adopts the new Law on Games of Chance and a conclusion inviting the Government to direct part of the fee revenue to health, sport, youth, humanitarian work and addiction prevention

  6. 6 Aug 2025

    Law published in Službeni list Crne Gore 91/2025

  7. 14 Aug 2025

    Law on Games of Chance 2025 enters into force, repealing the 2004 law

  8. 6 Oct 2025

    Administration reports €31.2 million of fee revenue for January to September 2025, €11.4 million from online games

  9. 17 Dec 2025

    Ministry of Finance adopts rulebooks on the register of excluded persons and on application forms, including for online gambling

  10. 17 Jun 2026

    Government tells Parliament that card payments to foreign illegal platforms have been stopped and that fee revenue rose from €22 million in 2023 to €43 million in 2025

  11. 8 Oct 2026

    Administration reports €38.8 million of fee revenue for January to September 2026, up 24.36%

Outlook

The Administration is implementing the 2025 law, with operators moved onto approvals under the new law after the 270-day transition. The Government's June 2026 answer to Parliament names promotion on social networks and digital platforms, illegal online betting sites and gambling terminals in cafes as the open problems, and a coordination body for gambling oversight continues to work. A register of approvals issued under the 2025 law had not been published on the regulator's site when checked.

Frequently asked questions

Is online gambling legal in Montenegro?
Yes, through licensed operators. The Law on Games of Chance 2025 lets companies with a land-based betting, slot or casino approval offer internet betting and virtual casino and slot games after obtaining an online decision from the Administration for Games of Chance.
Can a foreign operator get a Montenegrin online licence?
Only through a joint stock or limited company seated in Montenegro whose main business is gambling and which holds a land-based approval. There is no stand-alone online licence, and each operator may use one website.
What does an online operator pay?
For each online category, a fixed €10,000 a month plus a variable fee of 15% of total stakes less payouts, paid monthly, on top of the fees attached to its land-based approval.
What are the main advertising limits?
No broadcast advertising of gambling services between 06:00 and 22:00, print advertising only on sports pages, online advertising only in sports publications or sections, bonus promotion only on the operator's own site and sponsored clubs' sites, and mandatory addiction and under-18 warnings.
What happens to unlicensed online operators?
The electronic communications regulator can order internet service providers to block their domains, IP addresses and mirror sites, and the Administration can require banks to refuse payments to them. Their advertising is banned in every medium.
How much does a gambling licence cost in Montenegro?
For the Online gambling decision: internet betting, the annual fee is €120,000 (as of 14 Aug 2025). For the Online gambling decision: virtual casino and virtual slots, the annual fee is €120,000 (as of 14 Aug 2025). For the Betting approval (land-based), the application fee is €1,000 (as of 14 Aug 2025). The Licensing section lists all 5 licence types recorded for Montenegro. Last verified 15 Oct 2026.
Who regulates gambling in Montenegro?
The Administration for Games of Chance (UIS) regulates gambling in Montenegro. Other authorities with a role include Government of Montenegro and Ministry of Finance, games of chance inspection.
How long does it take to get a gambling licence in Montenegro?
The Administration decides on an approval within 60 days of the application and on an online decision within 60 days (arts. 24 and 78(2)); online game rules need separate consent within 30 days (art. 79). Last verified 15 Oct 2026.

Glossary and directory

Sources

Source tiers. Tier 1: the law, official gazette, licence register or regulator itself. Tier 2: other official sources such as ministries, parliaments, courts and statistics agencies. Only tier 1 and tier 2 sources can support a fact on their own.

  1. Law on Games of Chance (Službeni list Crne Gore 91/2025), full text including arts. 4 to 6, 12 to 27, 31 to 36, 44 to 63, 64 to 85, 86, 88 to 102 and 103 to 108

    Službeni list Crne Gore (Official Gazette of Montenegro) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 6 Aug 2025
  2. Official Gazette record: Law on Games of Chance, Službeni list Crne Gore 91/2025, published 6 August 2025, in force 14 August 2025

    Službeni list Crne Gore (Official Gazette of Montenegro) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 6 Aug 2025
  3. Rulebook on the register of excluded persons and Rulebook on the content and form of applications for gambling approvals, including online gambling (Ministry of Finance, 17 December 2025)

    Službeni list Crne Gore (Official Gazette of Montenegro) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  4. Government decision of 25 July 2025 granting a concession for special games of chance in the Merit Royal Budva casino

    Službeni list Crne Gore (Official Gazette of Montenegro) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  5. Conclusion of the Parliament of Montenegro of 31 July 2025 on directing part of gambling fee revenue

    Službeni list Crne Gore (Official Gazette of Montenegro) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  6. Administration for Games of Chance: home page

    Government of Montenegro (gov.me) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  7. About us: Administration for Games of Chance

    Government of Montenegro (gov.me) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  8. Games of chance via the internet: list of online operators active on 2 July 2025

    Administration for Games of Chance (gov.me) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 2 Jul 2025
  9. Lottery games: list of lottery operators active on 2 July 2025

    Administration for Games of Chance (gov.me) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 2 Jul 2025
  10. Types of games of chance: games of chance via the internet (open dataset, 13 records, updated 20 December 2024)

    Government of Montenegro open data portal (data.gov.me) (translated)

    Lists the same 13 operators as the regulator's 2 July 2025 list, but two concession expiry dates differ (ALFA-99 and Luca's Bet). The record relies on the regulator's later list.

    Tier 2Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 20 Dec 2024
  11. Gambling revenue over €31.1 million in the first nine months (2025)

    Administration for Games of Chance (gov.me) (translated)

    Tier 2Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 6 Oct 2025
  12. Gambling revenue in the first nine months up 24.36% on last year (2026)

    Administration for Games of Chance (gov.me) (translated)

    Tier 2Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 8 Oct 2026
  13. Rulebooks of the Administration for Games of Chance (list of implementing rulebooks)

    Administration for Games of Chance (gov.me) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 15 Oct 2026
  14. Answer of the Deputy Prime Minister to the parliamentary question of MP Nikola Rovčanin on gambling and minors (17 June 2026)

    Parliament of Montenegro (zakoni.skupstina.me) (translated)

    Tier 2Accessed 15 Oct 2026Published 17 Jun 2026

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