Malawi online gambling licence and tax guide

Is online gambling legal in Malawi?

The Gaming and Lotteries Act, 2022 repealed the old Gaming Act and Lotteries Act and created the Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority (MAGLA) as the single regulator for casinos, gaming machines, sports betting and lotteries. Sports betting licences, which cover the online brands that dominate the market, are issued under section 27 of the Act and the Gaming and Lotteries (Sports Betting) Regulations, 2025 through a request-for-proposals process; MAGLA opened the 2026 round on 8 June 2026 with applications closing on 10 July 2026. Ten sports betting operators were licensed in September 2025, including Betway, Betika, betPawa and Premier Bet. The Taxation (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2025 raised the final withholding tax on all betting, gambling and lottery winnings from 10% to 15% and removed the tax-free thresholds from 31 December 2025.

Vertical	Status in Malawi
Online casino	Restricted
Sports betting	Regulated
Online poker	Unregulated
Lottery	Regulated
Social casino (free to play)	Unclear

Regulated: Private operators can hold a local licence for online casino and/or betting.

Who regulates gambling in Malawi?

Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority (MAGLA) — Parastatal regulator under section 3 of the Gaming and Lotteries Act: licensing of casinos, gaming machines, sports betting and lotteries, compliance, enforcement against unlicensed operators and the Gaming and Lotteries Fund
Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) — Collects the withholding tax on winnings and corporate taxes from licensed operators

Malawi gambling licence: how it works

MAGLA licenses each activity separately. Sports betting licences are granted through a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued under regulation 3 of the Sports Betting Regulations, 2025: applicants buy the RFP document (K2,000,000 for local applicants, USD 1,500 for foreign applicants in the 2026 round), submit sealed proposals with the prescribed forms and supporting documents by the closing date, and undergo fit-and-proper, financial integrity, beneficial ownership and regulatory due diligence assessments. MAGLA states that the RFP creates no right to a licence and evaluates strictly against the published criteria. Casino, gaming machine and lottery licences follow the Act's separate provisions. The 2026 sports betting round ran from 8 June to 10 July 2026.

What an applicant needs

Purchase of the RFP document and submission of a complete sealed proposal by the closing date
Fit-and-proper assessment of the company, directors and beneficial owners
Financial integrity evidence and regulatory due diligence, including any licences held elsewhere
Compliance with the Gaming and Lotteries Act, the Sports Betting Regulations, 2025 and the RFP criteria
Registration for the 15% withholding tax on winnings with the Malawi Revenue Authority
Responsible-gambling measures, including staff training that MAGLA has run for licensees since 2025

Licence cost

2026 sports betting round: non-refundable RFP fee of K2,000,000 for local applicants or USD 1,500 for foreign applicants. Licence and annual fees are set in the regulations and the RFP and were not published separately at review.

Duration

Set in the licence and the Sports Betting Regulations, 2025; not published separately

Local entity required

Not specified

Processing time

Not published; the 2026 round closed on 10 July 2026 with awards to follow evaluation

Gambling taxes in Malawi

Operators: Licence fees and levies under the Gaming and Lotteries Act plus standard corporate income tax; no published operator tax on gross gaming revenue was identified. Companies with annual turnover above K5 billion pay a Minimum Alternative Tax of 0.5% of turnover where it exceeds their corporate income tax liability (from 31 December 2025).
Players: 15% final withholding tax on all winnings from betting, gambling and lotteries, deducted by the operator at payout, from 31 December 2025 (Taxation (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2025). The previous 10% rate applied only above tax-free thresholds of K100,000 and K500,000, which were removed.
Also: A 0.05% levy applies to mobile money and bank transfers above K100,000, paid by the sender, and VAT was adjusted to 17.5% from 31 December 2025. MAGLA consulted Betway, betPawa and Premier Bet in early 2026 on the impact of the higher withholding tax.

Advertising, player protection, KYC and payments

Advertising

No dedicated gambling advertising code was identified; general advertising and consumer law applies, and MAGLA publishes notices warning the public against unlicensed operators and asking players to verify licences through its website and toll-free line.

Responsible gaming

Minimum age 18. MAGLA runs responsible-gambling training for licensed operators and publishes player warnings; operators set deposit limits and self-exclusion under licence conditions rather than a national register.

Identity and age verification

Licensed operators are reporting institutions under Malawi's financial crimes law and report to the Financial Intelligence Authority; national ID verification at registration and before payout is standard, and mobile money wallets are KYC-registered with the telecom operator. The 15% withholding tax requires accurate payout records per player.

Payments

Airtel Money and TNM Mpamba mobile wallets carry most deposits and payouts, with bank transfer and cards alongside. Transfers above K100,000 attract a 0.05% sender levy from 31 December 2025. Crypto is not recognized as a payment instrument by the Reserve Bank of Malawi.

Notable restrictions

Operating without a MAGLA licence is illegal; MAGLA destroyed 24 illegal gaming machines in December 2025
15% final withholding tax deducted from every winning payout, with no tax-free threshold
Sports betting licences only through a published RFP round; no rolling applications
No gambling by persons under 18
Players are warned that winnings on unlicensed sites have no legal protection

Malawi iGaming market: size, players and payments

No reliable public estimate; MAGLA does not publish gross gaming revenue.

Betting is mobile-money led through Airtel Money and TNM Mpamba, with USSD menus serving feature-phone users.

Ten sports betting operators were licensed in September 2025: Betway (Golden Bay Limited), Betika, betPawa (Kuwina Limited), World Star Betting, Premier Bet, Betyanga (Supapesa Limited), 888 bets (Port Achia Trade Limited), Moors World of Sports, Bola Bet and Mobipay, alongside licensed casinos and lottery operators.

What players play

football bettingvirtual sportscrash gameslotteriesslots offered through betting brands

How they pay

Airtel MoneyTNM Mpambabank transferbank cards

Timeline: how Malawi got here

2022Gaming and Lotteries Act, 2022 repeals the Gaming Act and Lotteries Act and establishes MAGLA
2025Gaming and Lotteries (Sports Betting) Regulations, 2025 set the RFP process for sports betting licences
2025-09MAGLA publishes the list of ten licensed sports betting operators and warns against unlicensed sites
2025-12Taxation (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2025 raises withholding tax on winnings to 15% and removes thresholds from 31 December; MAGLA destroys 24 illegal gaming machines
2026-02MAGLA consults Betway, betPawa and Premier Bet on the impact of the 15% winnings tax
2026-06RFP for 2026 sports betting licences issued on 8 June; applications close on 10 July

Outlook

Awards from the 2026 sports betting round will show how many new entrants MAGLA admits alongside the ten incumbents. The 15% withholding tax with no threshold is the main commercial pressure, and MAGLA's consultations with operators in 2026 may feed into the next budget. Expect continued enforcement against unlicensed machines and sites, more responsible-gambling requirements for licensees, and eventually clearer rules for online casino content, which the current framework does not address in detail.

Launching in Malawi with GameBridge

Turnkey (your licence, our platform). Sports betting licences are awarded by MAGLA to the applicant company through an RFP, so the operator holds the licence and runs on GameBridge technology; GameBridge holds no Malawian licence and cannot influence the RFP outcome.

A Malawian brand on GameBridge runs in English with an MWK wallet and geo-controls that admit residents through the operator's licensed entity. Airtel Money and TNM Mpamba rails connect on request through the operator's local payment partners, the 15% withholding tax is calculated and displayed at every payout, and the ledger keeps per-player payout records for MRA filings. Responsible-gambling settings enforce the age gate and deposit limits, the catalog is curated to football, virtuals and crash games, and casino content is enabled only where the operator's licence covers it. Every game version carries a certification package for MAGLA's technical review.

MWK wallet with Airtel Money and TNM Mpamba rails on request
Withholding-tax calculation on winnings at payout with player statements
Per-player payout records for Malawi Revenue Authority filings
Geo lists with age and national ID gates
Deposit limits, self-exclusion and session reminders
Certification package for every GameBridge Studios and Originals version

Football and virtual sports lead Malawian betting; the aggregated catalog brings {providersAvailable} game providers where the licence allows, and GameBridge Studios builds lightweight exclusives for low-bandwidth mobile play.

Frequently asked questions

Is online betting legal in Malawi?

Yes, through operators licensed by the Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority under the Gaming and Lotteries Act of 2022. Sports betting licences cover the online brands that dominate the market, and ten operators were licensed in September 2025. Playing on unlicensed sites is at the player's own risk, and all winnings carry a 15% withholding tax since 31 December 2025.

How do I get a Malawi sports betting licence?

Wait for MAGLA to publish a Request for Proposals under the Sports Betting Regulations, 2025, buy the RFP document (K2,000,000 for local applicants or USD 1,500 for foreign applicants in 2026), and submit a sealed proposal with all prescribed forms by the closing date. MAGLA assesses fit-and-proper status, financial integrity, beneficial ownership and regulatory history, and the RFP creates no right to a licence.

What is the gambling tax in Malawi?

Players pay a 15% final withholding tax on all betting, gambling and lottery winnings, deducted at payout, since 31 December 2025; the previous 10% rate and the tax-free thresholds were removed. Operators pay licence fees and levies under the Act plus standard corporate income tax, and large companies may fall under the 0.5% Minimum Alternative Tax on turnover. No separate operator tax on gross gaming revenue was identified.

Which payment methods do Malawian players use?

Mobile money: Airtel Money and TNM Mpamba carry most deposits and payouts, with bank transfers and cards alongside. Transfers above K100,000 attract a 0.05% sender levy from 31 December 2025. Crypto is not recognized as a payment instrument by the Reserve Bank of Malawi.

Can a foreign company get a Malawi gambling licence?

MAGLA's 2026 RFP expressly invited local and foreign applicants, with foreign applicants paying the RFP fee in US dollars to a Reserve Bank of Malawi account. Beneficial ownership and regulatory due diligence apply to all applicants, and the RFP sets any requirement to operate through a Malawian company. Several current licensees are local companies operating international brands.

How does GameBridge support a Malawian betting brand?

Under the turnkey model the operator's licensed company runs on GameBridge with an MWK wallet, mobile money rails on request, withholding-tax calculation at payout, per-player payout records for tax filings and responsible-gambling controls. See Turnkey and the Africa market page.

Sources and review

Reviewed against the sources below on 11 September 2026. Regulation changes; confirm the current position with local counsel before launch.

Public notice: invitation for applications for sports betting licences, 2026 — Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority, accessed 2026-09-11
Licensed gaming and lottery operators in Malawi — Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority, accessed 2026-09-11
Gaming and Lotteries Act — Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority, accessed 2026-09-11
Taxation (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2025 — Malawi Revenue Authority, accessed 2026-09-11
New tax measures effective 31 December 2025 — Malawi Revenue Authority, accessed 2026-09-11
Malawi gambling regulator engages major operators after 15% winnings tax shake-up — Focus Gaming News, accessed 2026-09-11

Regulatory summaries are provided for orientation only and are not legal advice. Licensing requirements change; we validate them with you during scoping.

Online gambling in Malawi: regulation, licence and market guide