In late June 2026, the Assembly of North Macedonia adopted the new Law on Games of Chance and Amusement Games (Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia no. 148/2026), which entered into force on 6 July 2026, replacing the framework under which the sector had operated for more than a decade. It is a complete regulatory overhaul: stricter licensing and ownership requirements, new location rules for gambling premises, a ban on outdoor advertising, alignment with anti-money laundering standards and significantly higher fines. For operators, casinos, betting shops, slot clubs and prize game organizers alike, the question is no longer whether to comply, but how quickly.
What does the new law change?
In short: almost every segment of an operator's business. The law introduces a mandatory minimum distance of 500 metres between gambling premises and primary and secondary schools, applies a "fit and proper" standard to owners and management structures, bans outdoor advertising including illuminated signs, introduces a permit and a fee for prize games, reserves lottery and online games for the state and broadens the grounds for licence revocation with higher fines. The table below summarizes the key differences.
| Area | Previous regime | New regime (148/2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Premises location | No single statutory rule on distance from schools | Mandatory minimum of 500 metres from primary and secondary schools |
| Ownership and management | General conditions for the operator | Fit and proper standard for management bodies, partners and related persons |
| Advertising | Restrictions without a clear ban on outdoor advertising | Ban on outdoor advertising, including illuminated signs and content encouraging minors |
| Prize games | Unregulated or conditionally regulated | Organizing permit and corresponding fee |
| Lottery and online games | Private operators possible | Reserved for the state through a state-owned company |
| Additional licences | Multiple licences on the same share capital | Capital increase required for each additional licence |
| Sanctions | Narrower grounds for revocation, lower fines | Broader revocation grounds, significantly higher fines |
Which premises are affected by the 500-metre rule?
The rule covers all premises where games of chance are organized: casinos, betting shops and slot clubs located less than 500 metres from a primary or secondary school. The practical problem is considerable, because in many cities, including central Skopje, such premises operate in the immediate vicinity of schools and kindergartens. The way this provision will be enforced is not yet fully clear and is expected to be detailed through secondary legislation and administrative practice. Operators with sensitive locations should map their premises early and consider the scenarios: relocation, restructuring of the activity or legal protection in proceedings before the authorities.
What does the "fit and proper" standard mean for owners?
It is a regulatory standard borrowed from banking and financial regulation, used to assess whether a person is suitable and qualified to participate in the ownership or management of an operator. Members of management bodies, partners and related persons will have to meet integrity and suitability requirements. The practical consequence: every change in the ownership or management structure becomes a regulatory event, and buyers of stakes in companies in this sector will need to include an assessment of this standard in their due diligence.
What changes for prize games?
Prize games now require an organizing permit and payment of a corresponding fee. This matters well beyond the classic gambling sector: retail chains, distributors and marketing agencies running consumer contests, sweepstakes and promotional draws fall within the scope of the law. A campaign that yesterday was an ordinary marketing activity may today, without a permit, constitute a misdemeanour.
What remains within the state's competence?
The right to organize lottery games, as well as electronic and online games of chance, is reserved for the state, which will organize them through a state-owned company. Private operators whose business models rely on online channels should carefully review their activities and determine where the line runs between what is permitted and what is reserved for the state operator.
What should operators do now?
Compliance with the new law is not a one-off act but a process touching licences, locations, ownership and marketing. Operators and investors in the sector are advised to start with the following steps:
- map all premises against the 500-metre school distance rule and prepare a plan for each problematic location;
- review the ownership and management structure against the fit and proper standard, including related persons;
- audit all forms of advertising and withdraw outdoor and illuminated advertisements;
- bring prize games in line with the permit and fee requirement, including promotional campaigns of third parties;
- update internal anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing acts, with which the law is aligned;
- monitor the secondary legislation that will detail the implementation of the new rules.
Experience with similar regulatory reforms shows that companies that comply in the first months avoid the most expensive combination: a fine, licence revocation and forced closure of locations. This is where preventive law has measurable value.
Operating or investing in the games of chance sector?
Whether your locations, ownership structure and marketing meet the new conditions depends on the specific setup of each premises and on how the authorities will enforce the new rules. Delaying compliance can cost you a licence.
We provide compliance reviews under the new law, representation before the competent authorities in licence and permit proceedings and legal support for changes in operators' ownership and structures.
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Source: Law on Games of Chance and Amusement Games, Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia no. 148/2026 (in force since 6 July 2026); Ministry of Finance statement following the adoption of the law.
This text provides general legal information and does not constitute legal advice for a specific case. For advice tailored to your situation, please consult an attorney.