Morocco appeals court pauses telecom blocking order, keeping offshore betting accessible for now

Casablanca’s Commercial Court had ordered Maroc Telecom, Inwi and Orange Maroc to block unlicensed betting sites under a daily penalty, but the Court of Appeal has stayed enforcement, reopening the legal debate over who can be compelled to police online content.

On 12 January 2026, the president of the Casablanca Commercial Court (summary proceedings) ordered Morocco’s main telecom operators to block access to illegal betting sites and their subdomains, with a penalty of MAD 10,000 per day of delay intended to force swift execution. The case was linked to a wider push by Morocco’s state-regulated gambling ecosystem, as the Moroccan Games and Sports Authority (MDJS) sought to stop offshore platforms operating without authorisation in the local market.

That enforcement track has now hit a legal speed bump. Industry and local reporting indicate the Casablanca Court of Appeal granted a stay of execution that effectively puts the blocking obligation and daily fines on hold while proceedings continue, meaning offshore sportsbooks and casinos remain reachable for Moroccan users in the interim. Médias24, which said it reviewed the appeal ruling, summarised the court’s line as essentially rejecting the idea that an internet access provider can be forced to block sites whose content and legality it does not control.

For operators and policymakers, the ruling underscores a familiar challenge across emerging markets: site-blocking can be politically attractive, but it becomes fragile if courts see the legal basis as unclear or the technical obligations as disproportionate. Morocco has already moved on another front by taxing winnings from foreign online gambling platforms via withholding rules, so the next phase may shift further toward financial controls and clearer statutory powers rather than relying mainly on ISP blocking orders.