Morocco appeals court suspension on telecom blocking order
Morocco’s players can still access offshore betting sites following a ruling made by the Casablanca Court of Appeal. The ruling suspended a telecom operator’s order that would have blocked unauthorised betting sites and imposed a fine.
In January 2026, authorities instructed major telecom operators to restrict access to foreign sportsbooks and casinos. Those companies included Maroc Telecom, Orange Maroc, and Inwi. The measure immediately raised questions among bettors, operators, and observers following regulatory developments across the market.
Earlier in the year, the Commercial Court had issued a blocking order targeting offshore betting sites, with the intention of protecting the country’s regulated gambling industry and the revenue generated from local gambling activities. The order would have blocked access to offshore betting sites, meaning that gamblers from Morocco would not have been allowed to access offshore betting sites.
Suspension of the order
On 10 February 2026, the Casablanca Court of Appeal suspended the order, effectively changing the situation concerning telecom operators. This suspension means that betting sites can still operate, and no action can be taken yet, following the ruling made by the Court of Appeal. “The court has granted a stay of execution on the order requiring the blocking of unauthorised sports betting sites, and for the time being, operators are not required to enforce the blocking order,” reads a statement made by Médias24, which confirmed that telecom operators cannot block the sites, meaning that gamblers can still access offshore betting sites.
Players retain betting access
Following the appeals court ruling, the impact for Moroccan players became immediately clear across major offshore platforms. A Le Desk report stated: “The Court of Appeal has effectively ended the obligation for telecom operators to implement the blocks, allowing offshore betting platforms to remain accessible to Moroccan players while the legal process continues.”
Players can now enjoy uninterrupted services on offshore betting sites. There will be no more interrupted betting sessions. Players can enjoy their regular betting sessions. This is a cautious approach by the courts in handling issues in digital market regulations. There are many issues in digital market regulations, and it is not easy to address them. This approach is a cautionary measure in digital market regulations.
Morocco’s regulatory outlook remains unsettled
Morocco has temporarily allowed players to use offshore online betting sites after the appeals court paused the telecom block. The January 2026 order would have blocked offshore platforms and imposed daily fines on telecom companies.
Morocco’s evolving gambling framework provides important context for the appeals court decision. Gambling has long operated under Dahir No. 1-65-206, which allows licensed land-based casinos, horse racing, state lotteries, and sports betting. However, the operation of online gambling does not yet have a formal system of licensing, and it is for this reason that several individuals are turning to offshore sites for their gambling activities, even though the market is still formally regulated and controlled by the government.
Recent fiscal reforms also show how authorities are addressing offshore betting activity. Under the 2025 Finance Bill, Morocco recently introduced a 30% withholding tax on winnings from foreign online gambling platforms, alongside an extra 2% solidarity contribution. The tax will be applied at the source using the existing AML and transactional monitoring systems. The government claims this measure to be “the end of a tax-free era for offshore casinos” and seeks to address the issue of capital flight and improve its finances.
Nevertheless, the legal situation around online gambling remains complicated. Authorities do not formally license offshore sites, yet they tax winnings from those platforms. Meanwhile, regulators oversee land-based gambling under formal rules, while no licensing system governs online gambling.
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