Montenegro Gaming License
A Montenegro gambling license is a state approval to organize games of chance in Montenegro under the Games of Chance Act, in force since August 2025. A Montenegro gaming license, a Montenegro iGaming license and a Montenegrin gambling license name the same approval. An online license goes only to a holder of a Montenegrin land-based license.
The Government of Montenegro issues casino licenses. The Games of Chance Administration issues betting and slot machine licenses. If you are still choosing a jurisdiction, start from our gambling license hub.
Key facts
| Regulator | Ministry of Finance (supervision); Games of Chance Administration (betting, slot machines, tombola, online); Government of Montenegro (casinos) |
|---|---|
| Law | Games of Chance Act (Sl. list CG 91/25), adopted 31 July 2025, in force on the eighth day after publication |
| Licensing model | Approval-based licenses. The concession model was abolished |
| License term | Casino 15 years; betting, slot machines and tombola 8 years; online runs with the underlying land-based license (Games of Chance Act) |
| Online license | Add-on only. Issued to a holder of a Montenegrin land-based license |
| Share capital | Casino EUR 250,000; betting and slot machines EUR 200,000 (Games of Chance Act) |
| Bank guarantee | Casino EUR 400,000; betting EUR 30,000 plus EUR 3,000 per shop; slot machines EUR 35,000 plus EUR 3,000 per venue (Games of Chance Act) |
| Online fees | EUR 10,000 per month for online betting, EUR 10,000 per month for online casino and slots, plus 15% of GGR (Games of Chance Act) |
| Corporate income tax | Progressive: 9% up to EUR 100,000, 12% to EUR 1,500,000, 15% above (Corporate Profit Tax Law) |
| Player winnings tax | Betting and lottery winnings only: 0% up to EUR 50, 10% to EUR 1,500, 15% above. Casino and slot winnings exempt (Personal Income Tax Law, in force 1 January 2026) |
| Transition for concession holders | 270 days to keep operating, 180 days to reapply (Games of Chance Act, transitional provisions) |
| B2B | Not a regulated activity. No B2B license exists |
The 2025 Games of Chance Act (Zakon o igrama na sreću, Official Gazette 91/25) ended a regime that had run for twenty years. Montenegro no longer grants the right to organize games of chance through concessions. It grants licenses, on application, with defined terms and defined obligations.
Who regulates gambling in Montenegro?
Three bodies share control. The Ministry of Finance supervises the sector. The Games of Chance Administration (Uprava za igre na sreću) issues licenses for betting, slot machines, tombola and online games. The Government of Montenegro issues casino licenses. The Games of Chance Act replaced the old concession model with approval-based licensing in 2025.
Send your file to the wrong body and you lose weeks. Casino applications go to the Government. Everything else goes to the Games of Chance Administration. The Ministry of Finance sits above both, runs audits and enforces the law.
Concession holders have a transition window. They may keep operating for 270 days from the date the Games of Chance Act entered into force, and must reapply for a license within 180 days.
What types of gambling licenses are available in Montenegro?
Montenegro issues licenses for four activities: casino games, betting, slot machines, and tombola. Casino licenses run for 15 years and come from the Government of Montenegro. Betting, slot machine and tombola licenses run for 8 years and come from the Games of Chance Administration. Lottery is a state monopoly.
Casino, or special games of chance. Issued by the Government of Montenegro. Term: 15 years. Capped at eight land-based casinos nationwide.
Betting, including sports betting. Issued by the Games of Chance Administration. Term: 8 years.
Slot machines, or gaming machines. Issued by the Games of Chance Administration. Term: 8 years.
Tombola and TV tombola. Issued by the Games of Chance Administration. Term: 8 years.
Online games of chance. Not a standalone license. See the next section.
Lottery. Reserved for a state-owned operator. A private company cannot hold it.
There is no B2B license in Montenegro. Business-to-business supply of gambling software and services is not a regulated activity, so a supplier neither needs nor can obtain a license.
Can you get a standalone online (iGaming) license in Montenegro?
No. Montenegro does not issue a standalone online gambling license. Under the Games of Chance Act, an online license goes only to an operator that already holds a Montenegrin land-based license. Once granted, the online license covers any game type online, whatever land-based category the operator holds.
That last point is the one useful piece of flexibility in the regime. A holder of a slot machine license can offer betting online. The online permission is not tied to the vertical of the underlying land-based license.
Three conditions follow from the same rules. Each operator runs one website, on one domain and IP address. Each online game is reported separately. And the online license stays valid only for as long as the underlying land-based license does, so losing the land-based license takes the online operation with it.
For an operator with no land-based footprint in Montenegro, this is the decisive fact. There is no remote-only route in. Budget for a land-based license first, or choose a jurisdiction that licenses online operations on their own.
Who can apply for a Montenegro gambling license?
Any company registered in Montenegro can apply, including one owned by foreign shareholders. A local legal entity is mandatory. Beneficial owners, directors and key staff face fit and proper testing, where criminal records and past regulatory breaches are grounds for refusal. For an online license, the applicant must already hold a land-based license.
Local entity: a company registered in Montenegro is mandatory, and a foreign group may own it in full.
Fit and proper: beneficial owners, directors and key personnel are tested, and criminal records or past regulatory breaches are grounds for refusal.
Online applicants: the company must already hold a Montenegrin land-based license before it can apply for the online add-on.
Foreign ownership is not a barrier. The absence of a Montenegrin company is. You cannot apply from an offshore holding company and operate remotely, as you can in Anjouan or Curaçao.
How it works
How do you get a Montenegro gambling license?
Navigating the gaming license process can be complex. Here's a streamlined guide to each step.
You incorporate a Montenegrin company, prepare the corporate and compliance file, then file with the competent authority: the Government for casinos, the Games of Chance Administration for betting and slot machines. The Administration must decide within 60 days of a complete application. The land-based prerequisite, not the decision itself, sets your real timeline.
What are the requirements and documents for a Montenegro gambling license?
You need a Montenegrin company, the required share capital, a bank guarantee and a daily risk deposit. The file covers incorporation documents, the shareholder and UBO register, IDs and criminal record certificates for directors and key staff, a business plan with financial model, source of funds evidence, AML, KYC and responsible gambling policies, and technical documentation.
Corporate: incorporation documents of the Montenegrin company, shareholder register, ultimate beneficial owner disclosure.
People: passports and identity documents for directors and key personnel, criminal record certificates, fit and proper declarations.
Financial: business plan with a financial model, proof of paid-up share capital, the bank guarantee, and evidence of the source of funds behind both.
Compliance: AML and KYC policies, sanctions screening procedures, responsible gambling policy including self-exclusion handling.
Technical: platform and server documentation for online games, and video surveillance at every venue with at least 90 days of retention.
One point that trips up suppliers: none of this applies to B2B. A software developer or platform provider selling to a licensed Montenegrin operator is not regulated and has no license to obtain. Do not read operator requirements as supplier requirements.
How much does a Montenegro gambling license cost?
A casino pays a one-off license fee of EUR 2,000,000, holds EUR 250,000 share capital and lodges a EUR 400,000 bank guarantee. Betting and slot machine operators need EUR 200,000 capital, a smaller guarantee, and monthly per-outlet fees plus a variable fee on GGR. Online adds EUR 10,000 per month per vertical plus 15% of GGR.
| License type | Share capital | Bank guarantee | Daily risk deposit | Recurring fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino | EUR 250,000 | EUR 400,000 | From EUR 150,000 for up to 7 tables, plus EUR 30,000 per additional set of 5 tables | EUR 2,000,000 one-off license fee, then EUR 100,000 per year plus 15% of GGR |
| Betting | EUR 200,000 | EUR 30,000 plus EUR 3,000 per betting shop | EUR 300 per betting shop per day | EUR 750 per shop per month plus 10% of GGR, and a one-off EUR 1,000 per shop |
| Slot machines | EUR 200,000 | EUR 35,000 plus EUR 3,000 per venue | From EUR 5,000 per electronic roulette machine | EUR 75 per machine per month plus 15% of GGR, and a one-off EUR 3,000 per venue |
| Online (add-on) | Covered by the land-based license | Covered by the land-based license | Not applicable | EUR 10,000 per month for betting and EUR 10,000 per month for casino and slots, plus 15% of GGR |
| Lottery | State monopoly, closed to private operators | State monopoly, closed to private operators | State monopoly, closed to private operators | Closed to private operators |
Read that table as a cash-flow question, not a fee question. The bank guarantee and the daily risk deposit are money that must sit available for the whole license term. For a casino with seven tables, that is EUR 400,000 of guarantee plus EUR 150,000 of risk deposit standing behind EUR 250,000 of share capital, before a single game is dealt.
The 2024 amendments doubled the fixed annual casino fee to EUR 100,000. The 2025 Act then raised monthly betting fees from EUR 500 to EUR 750 per shop, and slot machine fees from EUR 50 to EUR 75 per machine. The EUR 2,000,000 one-off license fee puts the casino route out of reach for all but the largest operators.
What taxes apply to a Montenegro gambling license?
Every licensed operator pays a monthly variable fee on gross gaming revenue: 15% for online games, land-based casinos and gaming machines, and 10% for betting. Corporate income tax is progressive: 9% on profit up to EUR 100,000, 12% up to EUR 1,500,000, and 15% above that. Games of chance are exempt from VAT.
Gaming revenue: a monthly variable fee on gross gaming revenue. Online games 15% (Article 83), land-based casinos 15% (Article 36), gaming machines 15% (Article 63), betting 10% (Article 51), all under the Games of Chance Act.
Corporate profit: 9% up to EUR 100,000, 12% to EUR 1,500,000, 15% above. Non-residents pay 15% on Montenegrin-source income.
Player winnings: 0% up to EUR 50, 10% to EUR 1,500, 15% above, on betting and lottery winnings only.
VAT: games of chance are exempt.
Corporate income tax is where the widely quoted "9% Montenegro" figure breaks down. 9% is the bottom bracket only. A company earning EUR 2,000,000 in profit pays EUR 177,000 plus 15% on everything above EUR 1,500,000. There is no gambling-specific corporate rate. Non-residents pay 15% on Montenegrin-source income.
Player winnings tax applies to betting and lottery winnings only, withheld by the operator at payout. Winnings up to EUR 50 are tax-free, EUR 50.01 to EUR 1,500 are taxed at 10%, and anything above EUR 1,500 at 15%. Casino and slot machine winnings are exempt. The structure took effect on 1 January 2026 and replaced a flat 15% above EUR 300.
Advantages of a Montenegro gambling license
Montenegro uses the euro and starts corporate tax at 9% on profit up to EUR 100,000. The 2025 Games of Chance Act replaced a twenty year old concession regime with clear license terms of 15 and 8 years, which gives operators longer planning horizons than short concession cycles allowed.
Euro as the currency: no conversion exposure for operators pricing in EUR.
Corporate tax from 9%: the bottom bracket applies to profit up to EUR 100,000.
Long license terms: 15 years for a casino, 8 years for betting, slot machines and tombola.
Full foreign ownership: a foreign group can hold the licensed Montenegrin entity outright.
A written rulebook since 2025: the Games of Chance Act replaced concession terms negotiated case by case.
None of this makes Montenegro cheap. The reform bought predictability, not lower cost, and that is the advantage to weigh against the land-based prerequisite.
Disadvantages and limitations of a Montenegro gambling license
The online license is not standalone, so an operator must first win a land-based license. Capital and guarantee levels rose in 2025, and the online variable fee rose to 15% of GGR. Payment rules from 2024 block PayPal, Apple Pay, mobile banking and e-banking. Radio and television advertising is banned from 06:00 to 22:00. The license covers Montenegro only.
No standalone online license: an operator must hold a Montenegrin land-based license first.
Higher financial thresholds: share capital of EUR 200,000 to EUR 250,000, and a EUR 400,000 bank guarantee for a casino.
Payment restrictions: PayPal, Apple Pay, mobile banking and e-banking are blocked for gambling.
Advertising limits: no radio or television between 06:00 and 22:00.
Montenegro only: the license grants no access to the EU or to other Balkan markets.
Payments are the constraint most operators underestimate. The 2024 amendments limited online deposits to cards or in-person transfers at a betting shop, and restricted access to foreign betting sites. Montenegro is not a crypto-friendly jurisdiction, and it is not an e-wallet-friendly one either.
The industry has said so publicly. Montenegrobet, the national association of licensed operators, called the law a "proclamation on expulsion" and argued that the criminal liability and license revocation grounds are disproportionate.
What does a Montenegro gambling license allow, and what does it not?
A Montenegro gambling license authorizes you to offer games of chance in Montenegro. It does not give access to the European Union market or to other Balkan countries. Montenegro is an EU candidate, not a member. B2B supply is not regulated, so a software provider receives no license at all.
What it allows: offering the licensed game types to players in Montenegro, land-based under the license term, and online if you hold the online add-on.
What it does not allow: serving players in EU member states, in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia or Albania, or in any other market, on the strength of this license. Each market licenses separately.
Montenegro applied for EU membership in 2008 and remains a candidate. Candidate status does not create passporting rights of any kind. Treat any claim that a Montenegro license is a "gateway to Europe" as a claim to check.
Own license vs white label in Montenegro
Your own Montenegro license gives full control of the brand, the player database and the revenue, but requires a local company, a land-based license before you can go online, and capital from EUR 200,000. A white label runs under a licensed operator's permission, which is faster but leaves control with the license holder.
For most operators looking at Montenegro, the honest comparison is not white label versus own license. It is Montenegro versus a jurisdiction that licenses online operations directly. If your business is remote-only, the land-based prerequisite makes Montenegro an expensive way to reach a small domestic market.
One line that is not negotiable: supplying software to a licensed operator needs no license, but organizing games of chance without one is a criminal offence in Montenegro, punishable by up to three years imprisonment. White label does not remove that boundary, it moves it to the license holder.
Why choose MGL?
MGL has obtained 300+ licenses for operators. For Montenegro we handle the local company, the fit and proper file for every beneficial owner, the capital and bank guarantee arrangements, and the filing with the correct authority, which differs for casinos and for betting and slot machines.
MGL will also tell you when Montenegro is the wrong answer. The land-based prerequisite rules out most remote-first operators, and we would rather say that at the consultation than after you have funded a EUR 400,000 guarantee.
FAQ
Everything you need to know about Our company. Can't find the answer you're looking for? Please chat to our team.
Three bodies. The Games of Chance Administration issues betting and slot machine licenses. The Government of Montenegro issues casino licenses. The Ministry of Finance supervises the sector and runs audits.
A foreign company can apply, but two conditions bind. It must register a Montenegrin legal entity, and it must already hold a Montenegrin land-based license. Montenegro issues no standalone online license.
The Administration must decide on a complete application within 60 days. The real timeline is set by the land-based license you have to hold first, not by the online decision. MGL scopes both at the consultation.
Online games, land-based casinos and gaming machines pay 15% of gross gaming revenue monthly, and betting pays 10%. Corporate income tax is progressive at 9%, 12% and 15%, with 9% applying only to profit up to EUR 100,000. Betting and lottery winnings are taxed 0% to 15% by tier.
No, and no B2B license exists. Supplying software or services to a licensed Montenegrin operator is not a regulated activity, so a supplier holds no license and needs none.
No. The 2024 amendments blocked PayPal, Apple Pay, mobile banking and e-banking for gambling, and limited online deposits to cards or in-person transfers at a betting shop. Montenegro is not a crypto-friendly jurisdiction.
A casino needs EUR 250,000 share capital, a EUR 400,000 bank guarantee and a one-off license fee of EUR 2,000,000. Betting and slot machine operators need EUR 200,000 capital, with guarantees of EUR 30,000 and EUR 35,000 plus EUR 3,000 per outlet.
A Montenegro casino license runs 15 years. Betting, slot machine and tombola licenses run 8 years. The 2025 Games of Chance Act sets both terms, and the online add-on runs for as long as the underlying land-based license does.
No. The license covers games of chance offered in Montenegro only. Montenegro is an EU candidate country, not a member, and candidate status grants no market access to EU or other Balkan jurisdictions.
Navigating the gaming license process can be complex. Here's a streamlined guide to each step