Is Gambling Legal in Mauritius? Laws 2026

Is gambling legal in Mauritius? Land-based gambling is legal, but every form of it must be licensed. Casinos, gaming houses, horse-race and football betting and the national Lotto are licensed and supervised by the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) under the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act 2007 (Act No. 9 of 2007). Compared with mainland China, where only the state welfare and sports lotteries are allowed, Mauritius offers far more, but the rules are detailed: you must be 21 to enter a casino, show your passport at the door, and wins above Rs 100,000 are subject to a 10% withholding tax.

Online casinos are a different story. As of October 2026 the GRA website states that the “interactive gambling” part of the Act (online casinos) is not in operation, and no online casino licences have been issued (the Finance Act 2026 created online licence categories, but applications are reportedly not yet open), and since 2023 the law expressly prohibits anyone physically in Mauritius from taking part in offshore online gambling. Below we cover the legal framework, licence types, age limits, taxes, advertising, the 2025–2026 reforms and what Chinese citizens should know about the law back home. Conversions use 1 rupee ≈ CNY 0.1408 (Wise, checked 27 October 2026).

21Minimum age for casinos and gaming houses (GRA Act s.140)

10%Withholding tax on payouts above Rs 100,000 (MRA)

2.5%Responsible gambling levy on operators’ gross gambling yield

8909GRA problem gambling helpline

Legal framework and regulator

The core law is the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act 2007; the consolidated version published by the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) is updated to May 2026. Under the Act the GRA issues, renews, suspends and revokes licences, and section 4(e) gives it a duty to foster responsible gambling and minimise harm. Gambling taxes are collected by the MRA, and casino and betting servers must connect to the MRA’s Central Electronic Monitoring System (CEMS). On the ground, the Police des Jeux support enforcement.

The GRA is located on the 12th Floor of Newton Tower, Sir William Newton Street, Port Louis, open Monday to Friday 08:45–16:00. Complaints must be made in person, bringing evidence such as tickets or receipts.

What is legal: licence types

The GRA lists these licence categories: horse racing organiser, totalisator, bookmaker, national lottery, casino, gaming house, limited payout machines, dart games, pool betting, other lotteries, sweepstakes and ad hoc licences for single events.

Category	Key points (as of October 2026)
Casino	Authorised games: blackjack, chemin de fer, mini-chemy, Oasis Stud, punto banco, roulette
Gaming House A	Games include Sic Bo / Tai Sai, Chinese dominoes, poker and bingo
Gaming House B	Run by individuals; mahjong and rummy only
National lottery	Licence awarded to Lottotech Ltd in November 2009; authorised game Lotto 6/40; 815 registered retailers
Limited payout machines	Prize cap Rs 3,000 (about CNY 422) per play
Racing and football betting	Licensed bookmakers and totalisators may take bets on course, at approved premises or by remote communication

On casinos, the state-controlled Casinos de Maurice (majority-owned by the State Investment Corporation) is being sold; Focus Gaming News reported in June 2026 that the sale, run by PwC, covers four operating and two closed casinos. For addresses and entry rules see our guide to casinos in Mauritius.

Horse racing at Champ de Mars, Port Louis

Horse racing is the most popular form of betting in Mauritius, held at the Champ de Mars racecourse in the capital, Port Louis. After a dispute over who organises racing, South African racing outlet Turf Talk reported that the Mauritius Turf Club (MTC) regained the sole horse racing organiser licence in June 2025, and the 2025 season resumed on 26 July. According to Focus Gaming News, the 2026 season started on 25 April with 27 race days. The GRA’s Horse Racing Integrity Division (HRID) oversees integrity. For other sport on the island see sports in Mauritius; the racecourse as a sight is covered in Mauritius landmarks.

Online gambling: no online casino licences

The GRA states that Part XVIII of the Act (interactive gambling) is not in operation. Section 91A (in force since 20 July 2023) provides that no person physically present in Mauritius may take part in interactive gambling outside Mauritius, and it is an offence for an offshore operator to accept such players. The GRA may direct internet providers to block sites and banks to stop payments.

The Finance Act 2026 (August 2026) created B2C and B2B interactive gambling licences, but the GRA has reportedly not yet issued application guidance; until licences are actually granted, the ban above and the absence of online casino licences remain.

The only lawful “remote” options are racing and football bets taken by licensed bookmakers and totalisators through remote communication, plus the Lotto. We do not describe or recommend any unlicensed site. More detail: legal status of online casinos in Mauritius.

Age, ID and cash limits

21: operators of casinos, gaming houses, gaming machines and limited payout machines may not admit anyone under 21 to gamble, and it is an offence for under-21s to enter (s.140).
ID checks: since 2023 operators must check the original national ID card, valid passport or driving licence of every person entering and record the name and document number. Chinese visitors should carry their original passport.
Minors: lottery tickets may not be sold to minors and bets from minors may not be accepted; such bets are void (ss.140–141).
Cash: an anti-money-laundering amendment in force since 18 April 2026 bans cash bets above a prescribed amount except through a player card.

Gambling taxes: operators and players

Operators carry a heavy tax load. Rates as of October 2026, as published by the MRA:

Main gambling tax rates in Mauritius (%)

National lottery (net proceeds)47.16%

Gaming machines (casino, Gaming House A)35%

Gaming House A table games30%

Casino table games15%

Racing and football betting (gross stakes)14%

Responsible gambling levy2.5%

Source: MRA Gambling Taxes, accessed October 2026

For players, section 111O of the Income Tax Act requires the national lottery operator, casinos and gaming houses to withhold 10% when the total payable to a punter exceeds Rs 100,000 (about CNY 14,100) and remit it monthly to the MRA. Payouts above Rs 20,000 must also be listed in the operator’s statement of winnings.

EntryShow your original passport; be 21 or over
BettingLarge bets go through a player card, not large amounts of cash
PayoutPayouts above Rs 20,000 are recorded and reported
WithholdingAbove Rs 100,000 the operator withholds 10%

If you are still a Chinese tax resident, foreign winnings may also need to be declared in China; see our article on tax residency.

Advertising rules

A new section 156, in force since 9 August 2025, provides that no person may advertise a gambling activity in any manner. Public communications required by regulation, such as results, need GRA authorisation, must be neutral and factual, and must carry the disclaimer “This announcement is made pursuant to regulatory requirements. Gambling can be addictive. Play responsibly.” Licensees may sponsor only charitable, benevolent or social activities, with an exception for race meetings. Breaches carry a fine of up to Rs 1 million (about CNY 141,000).

Reforms in 2025–2026

The Finance Act 2025 created a “digital games” regime and tightened monitoring. According to iGaming Business, the annex to the 2026/27 budget presented on 19 June 2026 proposed to abolish the hotel casino licence category, bring limited payout machine operators into digital games, raise bookmakers’ betting terminals from three to five, calculate horse-race betting tax on stakes net of winnings paid, and create a Responsible Gambling and Communications Division at the GRA. According to Focus Gaming News (August 2026), these measures were enacted through the Finance Act 2026 (Act No. 14 of 2026, assented on 12 August 2026): it removes the hotel casino definitions, reorganises the GRA into divisions including Responsible Gambling and Communications, and creates B2C and B2B interactive (online) gambling licence categories for the first time; some provisions apply only from 1 March 2027 and 1 July 2027. We could not verify the final wording on betting terminals or the horse-race tax base, so check the GRA and the Government Gazette.

What Chinese citizens should know

Article 303 of China’s Criminal Law covers gambling and running a gambling establishment. Criminal Law Amendment XI, in force since 1 March 2021, added that organising PRC citizens to gamble abroad, where the sums are huge or circumstances serious, is punished in the same way as running a gambling establishment. The offence targets organisers and recruiters, but gambling abroad as such is not protected by Chinese law either: what is legal in Mauritius is not automatically legal in China. This page is general information, not legal advice; see our disclaimer. If you plan to settle, start with Mauritius visas and our leaving China checklist.

To compare with other African countries, see gambling law in South Africa and gambling law in Kenya.

Responsible gambling and help

Section 11A of the Act set up the Responsible Gambling and Capacity Building Fund (from 2016), funded by the 2.5% levy on operators and used for public education and help for problem gamblers. If you or a family member has a gambling problem:

GRA Problem Gambling Helpline 8909 (Monday to Friday 9:00–15:30, except public holidays), email help@gra.mu; see the GRA helpline page.
Helpline Mauritius: 214 2451, free and confidential, covering Mauritius and Rodrigues.

Licence information is available on the GRA website.

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