Montenegro Reports 36% Growth in Gambling Revenue During H1 2026

Online gambling leads Montenegro's gaming revenue growth

Official data show that online gambling was the strongest-performing segment during the January-June period, with government revenue climbing 45% year-on-year to EUR 10.7 million.

The figures highlight the continued momentum of Montenegro's digital gambling market, which has become the largest contributor to public revenue among the country's regulated gaming verticals.

The latest results follow a strong performance recorded in 2025, when regulatory reforms and improvements to the sector's monitoring systems helped increase tax collections and strengthen market oversight.

All regulated gambling segments post positive results

Beyond online gambling, every major regulated gaming segment reported year-on-year growth during the first six months of 2026.

Revenue from sports betting reached EUR 5.4 million, representing a 10% increase compared with the same period last year.

Meanwhile, gaming machine clubs recorded the highest percentage increase among land-based operations, with revenue surging 60% to EUR 5.7 million.

The casino sector also continued its upward trend, generating EUR 2.7 million in government revenue during the period, an increase of 19% compared with the first half of 2025.

The performance across all verticals suggests that Montenegro's regulated gambling industry continues to expand on a broad basis, with both online and retail operations contributing to higher public revenue.

June delivers another month of strong performance

The positive trend accelerated in June, when government revenue from games of chance reached EUR 4.6 million, marking a 46% increase compared with the same month a year earlier.

The June figures further reinforce the sustained growth trajectory observed throughout the first half of 2026 and indicate continued momentum across the regulated gambling market.

Regulatory reforms continue supporting market expansion

The latest results build on the progress achieved in 2025, when Montenegro collected EUR 44 million in total gambling revenue, a 29% increase over the previous year.

According to the government, that growth was supported by the introduction of new regulatory measures and significant improvements to the country's information and monitoring systems for the gambling industry.

The enhanced regulatory framework has strengthened oversight of licensed operators while improving the efficiency of tax collection and compliance monitoring.

Regulated gambling remains an important source of public revenue

The continued increase in gaming-related revenue underscores the growing importance of Montenegro's regulated gambling industry as a contributor to the national budget.

With online gambling maintaining double-digit growth and land-based segments also expanding, the sector continues to benefit from a combination of regulatory modernization, digital development and enhanced market supervision.

As the government continues implementing reforms aimed at improving transparency and regulatory control, Montenegro's gambling industry appears well positioned to sustain its growth throughout the remainder of 2026.