Mauritius is set to eliminate an entire category of gambling licenses, coupled with enhanced state oversight of casino operations as part of its 2026/27 budget plan.
The budget proposes the removal of hotel casino licenses altogether. Additionally, the digital games framework established in 2025 will now include limited payout machine operators, mandating that all casino and Gaming House servers connect to the Mauritius Revenue Authority’s Central Electronic Monitoring System (CEMS).
This change represents one of the most significant adjustments to the nation’s gambling legislation since the consolidation of the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act in 2007.
In a recent discussion about the Finance Bill, delayed by three weeks, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam informed lawmakers that all betting terminals must be registered with the Director General of the Mauritius Revenue Authority, and they too will need to connect to the CEMS, a requirement that now also extends to casinos and Gaming Houses.
These reforms come as part of ongoing government initiatives to bolster the credibility of the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA). Addressing the parliament during a prior major gambling reform on July 4, 2025, Ramgoolam asserted that the administration is committed to enhancing public trust in the GRA, particularly regarding its management of the horse racing sector, stating it must serve as a reliable regulator for the gaming and betting markets.
The parliamentary discourse on the gambling reforms for 2026/27 will commence after the introduction of the Finance Bill in the National Assembly. During a cabinet meeting on July 3, 2026, it was confirmed that an economic committee chaired by the prime minister would finalize the new legislation, with its inaugural meeting scheduled for July 8.
While presenting the budget on June 19, Ramgoolam did not mention gambling in his speech. Instead, details regarding these changes are found in Section 44 of the budget annex, which contains numerous amendments to the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act. This annex specifies the removal of definitions associated with "hotel casino," including terms such as "hotel casino games," "hotel casino gaming machine," and "hotel casino operator," repealing the related licensing and operational guidelines. The specialized hotel casino framework that previously allowed hotels to operate their casinos under a unique license will cease, requiring such operations to apply for a standard casino license moving forward.
The digital gaming sector in Mauritius, which has been licensed since 2025, will now expand under the upcoming budget. Limited payout machine operators will be added to the list of eligible recipients of digital gaming licenses, and the Act will include a formal definition of “digital games.” Notably, all gaming platforms will need to receive certification from an accredited independent gaming laboratory before they can be launched.
A pivotal change is the expansion of the Central Electronic Monitoring System, which the Mauritius Revenue Authority administers. The budget annex necessitates that the systems of betting operators connect to the GRA's server, while casino and Gaming House licensees must link directly to the MRA's CEMS.
In addition to CEMS expansion, the annex aims to establish a Responsible Gambling and Communications Division and a Finance and Procurement Division within the GRA. The regulations will also permit bookmakers to have up to five betting terminals at authorized venues, increasing from the previous limit of three, with one terminal reserved for payouts. Furthermore, the taxation for horse race betting will shift to calculating tax on stakes after winnings are paid out rather than on the total stakes.
These initiatives build upon the Anti-Money Laundering, Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which passed in April 2026. Financial Services Minister Jyoti Jeetun, during the presentation of that bill on March 31, remarked that amendments were being made to the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act, the Income Tax Act, and the Mauritius Revenue Authority Act. These changes seek to enforce detailed beneficial ownership disclosures during the licensing phase for gambling operators, introduce cash transaction limits, and enhance investigatory powers related to fiscal oversight while ensuring proper safeguards apply to search and seizure activities.
Once the Finance Bill and the Economic and Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill of 2026 complete their legislative process, Mauritius will significantly enhance its regulatory oversight and fiscal monitoring of the gambling sector through these licensing reforms and compliance requirements. In January, reports indicated that the horse racing sector faced inadequate regulation under the newly established Horse Racing Integrity Division, though the regulator challenged these claims as anonymous.
