Gambling Games in Macedonia
These are the models that are most played in the casinos that are visited by Macedonian players the most: 40 Burning Hot, 40 Shining Crown, 40 Lucky King, Flaming Hot and Amazons' Battle by EGT, Hot Scatter by Amatic and Book of Ra Deluxe 6 by Greentube. Macedonia has no widely known local developers of gaming software products. According to play statistics, Macedonian players favour the products of EGT, followed by Greentube, Amatic and Playtech.
Gambling Legislation
From 2011 the gambling industry in Macedonia was regulated by the Law on Games of Chance and Entertainment Games, which came into effect in 2011. The law stipulates that these are the types of gambling that are subject to licensing in the country: forecasts of sporting events, lotteries, casino games, slot machines, Lotto and instant lotteries. On 29 June 2026 the Assembly adopted a new Law on Games of Chance and Entertainment Games (Official Gazette No. 148/2026), which entered into force eight days after its publication on 6 July 2026 and repealed the 2011 law. Lotteries, electronic games and internet games are organised by the state through a company in which the Republic of North Macedonia is the sole shareholder, while casinos, betting shops and slot clubs are licensed to private companies. The new law also strictly limits gambling advertising. From 1 January 2028 casinos (except those in hotels), slot clubs and electronic gaming venues must be at least 500 metres from primary and secondary schools, and all slot machines and video lottery terminals must have GPS connected to the Public Revenue Office.
Online casinos in Macedonia
For years the legislative acts that would regulate online gambling in Macedonia were still in the beginning stage. A monopoly was planned to be set up in this segment, and earlier drafts required the state to own at least 51% of the companies that run online casinos. The 2026 law went further: only a state-run enterprise wholly owned by the state can obtain the ten-year licence for internet games of chance (fee €200,000; monthly levy of 15% of gross gaming revenue from casino-type games). The operator must use a .mk domain and keep player data in North Macedonia. Today unlicensed gambling websites are being blocked in the Macedonian cyberspace: in May 2026 the government said that 358 illegal foreign online platforms had been shut down. Offshore sites such as Gamdom, Vavada, 21.com and BetFury are still widely used by Macedonian players, but none of them holds a Macedonian licence. Just like in other countries, it is not the most convincing factor for Macedonian players, especially when no responsibility is implied for using the services of online casinos. Sports betting remains very popular, and betting shops operate across the country.
Gambling Licenses
To apply for a license, permission must be granted by the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia (Vladata na Republika Severna Makedonija), with the application filed with the Ministry of Finance (Ministerstvoto za finansii). The Government decides within 90 days of a complete application. The licensee must possess the authorised capital of at least 2,500,000 EUR or the equivalent amount in the local currency. The company must also provide a deposit or bank guarantee in the amount of 375,000 EUR at a bank based in North Macedonia, plus 1,250 EUR per slot machine. A casino licence is issued for six years for a fee of 750,000 EUR. The gaming premises must be equipped appropriately and have a separate entrance. Casinos cannot be located near any educational institutions. Casinos located in hotels are exempt from the 500-metre school distance rule. Administration of the gambling house must restrict access to minors: persons under 18 may not enter casinos or slot clubs. Macedonia provides an opportunity to open halls with slot machines on an individual basis. To qualify for a license for this type of operations, the applicant must have the statutory fund of at least 2,500,000 EUR. The licence is issued for six years for a fee of 100,000 EUR, and each additional slot club location costs a one-off 30,000 EUR. The premises must meet the spatial and technical conditions set by the Minister of Finance. Compliance with gambling legislation in Macedonia is monitored by the Macedonian Tax Administration (Upravata za javni prihodi), which carries out inspections under the 2026 law, and the Ministry of Finance, which in August 2026 adopted a rulebook on checking the reputation, integrity and source of funds of licence applicants.
Development of the Gambling Market in Macedonia
Tourism is one of the key branches of Macedonian economy. The Republic has a number of well frequented ski resorts and therapeutic spa resorts. Availability of land-based gaming establishments is a powerful tool to attract tourists, by which one can predict the further development of this segment. So far the government has not decided to ban gambling, but the 2026 law does restrict the access to it. Online casinos are most likely to remain a publicly available entertainment through the state operator. Since 2005 the country has been a candidate for membership in the European Union, and accession negotiations formally opened in July 2022. The licensing procedure is closed to foreign online operators due to the introduction of the state monopoly, but it is unlikely to affect ordinary players. Besides, if Macedonia joins the European Union, the state monopoly on online gambling will have to be justified under EU rules on the freedom to provide services. Gambling in Macedonia is a in high deman and is also accessible as a form of entertainment. Players are given the opportunity to choose from an impressive number of land-based establishments. The gambling industry is at the stage of adapting to the new law, as operators must bring their business in line with it within six months to a year of its entry into force.
