Casablanca court orders Moroccan telecoms to block offshore gambling sites

Morocco’s commercial court in Casablanca has ordered Maroc Telecom, Orange Maroc and Inwi to block unlicensed online gambling platforms and their subdomains at DNS and IP level, in a landmark ruling that tightens the country’s stance on offshore betting operators.

On 12 January 2026, the judge of urgent matters at the Casablanca Commercial Court granted an application filed by state operator Marocaine des Jeux et des Sports (MDJS), ordering Morocco’s three main telecom providers – Maroc Telecom, Orange Maroc (Médi Telecom) and Inwi (Wana Corporate) – to block access to illegal betting sites and all their subdomains.

The court found that only internet access providers are technically able to end what it described as a “manifestly unlawful disturbance” caused by unlicensed sports betting platforms targeting Moroccan consumers. The order requires DNS- and IP-level blocking of a group of offshore operators – including several high-profile brands such as 1xBet, Betwinner, Melbet, Linebet, Stake, Betway and Mostbet – that accept Moroccan players without local authorisation.

To ensure compliance, the ruling imposes a penalty of 10,000 Moroccan dirhams (around US$1,000) per day of delay on each operator that fails to implement the blocking measures. The case follows a broader MDJS campaign against illegal betting, which has also targeted payment flows and social media promotion of unlicensed brands since late 2025.

For the offshore sector, the decision marks a significant escalation: instead of acting only against individual websites, Moroccan authorities are now using court orders to compel infrastructure-level enforcement, in line with global trends where regulators rely on DNS blocking and IP filtering to disrupt black-market gambling. Licensed stakeholders say the move strengthens market integrity and consumer protection, while critics warn that tech-savvy players may still try to bypass blocks via VPNs or mirror sites.