In 2024, the country collected a total of 387.8 million meticals (around 6.3 million dollars) in taxes paid by casinos, an increase of 4.5 per cent on the previous year, but well short of the target set by the government.
According to the economic and social balance of the implementation of the 2024 State Budget, a document that Diário Económico had access to on Wednesday (19), between January and September 317.4 million meticals (5.2 million dollars) were collected in Special Tax on Gambling.
In the last quarter of the year, this tax brought in 70.4 million meticals (1.1 million dollars), in a period marked by strong social unrest, including demonstrations and post-election stoppages.
Despite the growth compared to 2023, the revenue collected fell far short of the government’s forecasts, which projected an inflow of 1.2 billion meticals (20.1 million dollars) into the sector. As a result, the amount actually collected represented only 31.4 per cent of the stipulated target.
Taxes paid by casinos accounted for just 0.1 per cent of total state revenue, according to the report. Currently, five casino concessions operate in Mozambique, located in the cities of Maputo, Beira, Tete, Nampula, Matola and Pemba, undertakings which, according to the then Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi, involved an overall investment of 36 million dollars.
Mozambican legislation stipulates that concessionaires pay a Special Gambling Tax, which varies between 20 per cent and 35 per cent of gross revenues, depending on the duration of the concession. In addition, a Stamp Duty of 50 per cent is levied on the value of entrance tickets to casinos.
However, concessionaires benefit from tax exemptions on other taxes levied on profits from the activity, as well as on import duties on goods and equipment exclusively intended for the operation of games of chance.
In view of the lower than expected performance, the authorities may revise their fiscal projections and taxation mechanisms for the sector in the coming years in order to improve revenue collection from the gaming industry in Mozambique.
