Mauritius Targets Online Gaming Growth With New Gambling Framework

Mauritius has set out plans for one of the most sweeping changes to its gambling laws in years. The proposals, contained in Section 44 of the Annex to the Budget Speech 2026–2027, aim to expand digital gaming, strengthen oversight, and streamline licensing by removing the separate hotel casino category. 

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More than 30 amendments to the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act are included, covering areas such as tax monitoring, compliance rules, governance, and licensing procedures. 

The reforms are part of the wider 2026–2027 Budget package and will move forward through the Finance Bill 2026 and the Economic and Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 before reaching Parliament. 

Digital gaming at the forefront of fresh changes

Mauritius has placed digital gaming at the center of its proposed reforms. The Budget Annex explains that the new framework would “provide for the licensing of digital games by existing casino operators or gaming house operators or limited payout machine operators.” 

To secure approval, operators would need to submit certified copies of their game rules to the Gambling Regulatory Authority. 

A legal definition of “digital games” would also be introduced, while every platform and product would have to be tested and certified by an accredited, independent laboratory before being offered to players. 

The reforms go beyond licensing. The Gambling Regulatory Authority itself would be strengthened with new divisions, including a Responsible Gambling and Communications Division and a Finance and Procurement Division. 

Oversight of betting and casino operations would also be tightened. The Annex proposes that “the server and the terminals of betting operators [be] connected to the server of the Gambling Regulatory Authority” and that “the server of a casino and a Gaming House licensee [be] connected to the Central Electronic Monitoring System of the Mauritius Revenue Authority.”

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These connections would have to remain active at all times, giving regulators continuous access to data and ensuring tax compliance through electronic monitoring.

Another notable change is the removal of the separate hotel casino licence category. The definitions of “hotel casino,” “hotel casino games,” “hotel casino gaming machine,” and “hotel casino operator” would be deleted, along with the licensing and operational rules tied to them.

Changes to licensing fees, horse racing betting and more

The reform package in Mauritius goes further than digital gaming. It lays out new rules for licensing, betting, and fees that would reshape how operators run their businesses.

Under the proposals, gambling operators would have to register with the Gambling Regulatory Authority before starting operations. The number of bookmaker betting terminals allowed would rise from three to five, while fixed‑odds betting on foreign horse racing would be permitted during the local off‑season. 

Licences themselves would shift to a calendar‑year basis, and the way horse racing betting tax is calculated would change. Instead of being based on turnover, the tax would be applied to the total amount staked minus winnings payable. 

The reforms also introduce new non‑refundable processing fees for licence applications and relocation requests, alongside increases in certain licence and application fees. 

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Source: Focus Gaming News