Mauritius is set to eliminate a specific category of gambling licenses as outlined in its 2026/27 budget, expanding its fiscal oversight within the casino sector.
The government announced that hotel casino licenses would be completely repealed, while the digital gaming regime introduced in 2025 will see participation extended to limited payout machine operators. Furthermore, all casinos and Gaming House servers must connect to the Central Electronic Monitoring System (CEMS) managed by the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA).
This decision marks one of the significant shifts in the island’s gambling framework since the consolidation of the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act in 2007.
In moving the Finance Bill three weeks later, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam informed the assembly that all betting terminals would need registration with the Director General of the MRA and connection to the CEMS. The latest reforms are designed to enhance the regulatory landscape, following prior efforts aimed at bolstering trust in the Gambling Regulatory Authority.
On July 4, 2025, during the last major reform, Ramgoolam assured Members of Parliament that the government intended to strengthen public confidence in the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), especially concerning its oversight of the horse racing industry. He affirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that the GRA would function as a reliable regulator within the gaming and betting sectors.
The parliamentary discussion on the 2026/27 gambling reforms is expected to commence once the Finance Bill is introduced in the National Assembly. A cabinet meeting confirmed on July 3, 2026, that an economic committee chaired by the prime minister will oversee the finalization of this legislation, aiming to convene for its first meeting on July 8.
Although Ramgoolam presented the budget on June 19 without mentioning gambling during his speech, the changes are laid out in Section 44 of the budget annex, which includes over twenty amendments to the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act. This annex stipulates the removal of definitions related to "hotel casino," effectively terminating these licenses and their operational provisions.
Under the reformed framework, hotel-based casino ventures will now be required to obtain a standard casino license where it is permitted, marking the end of the previous bespoke arrangements.
The existing digital gaming licenses, which were made available to casino and gaming house operators, will now also encompass limited payout machine operators, providing a broader scope of eligibility. A statutory definition for "digital games" will now be incorporated into the Act, alongside requirements for all platforms to receive certification from an accredited independent gaming laboratory prior to launching.
The extension of CEMS, a pivotal operational change, means that all betting operators must connect their servers and terminals to the GRA’s system, while casino and Gaming House licensees will connect directly to the MRA’s CEMS. As part of these reforms, the annex also establishes a Responsible Gambling and Communications Division as well as a Finance and Procurement Division within the GRA.
Bookmakers will see an increase in the number of permitted betting terminals from three to five, with one terminal designated exclusively for payouts. Additionally, the tax structure for horse race betting will shift to be calculated on stakes after winnings rather than based on gross stakes, reflecting a significant tax reform.
These measures build on the previous Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism provisions passed by the Assembly in April 2026. Financial Services Minister Jyoti Jeetun announced on March 31 that the amendments to the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act, the Income Tax Act, and the Mauritius Revenue Authority Act would introduce beneficial ownership disclosures for gambling operators at the licensing stage and enhance fiscal oversight through stricter cash transaction limits.
Once the legislative process for the Finance Bill and the Economic and Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 concludes, Mauritius will have notably improved its fiscal oversight and regulatory enforcement within its gambling sector, amplifying compliance demands and monitoring protocols.
In January, reports surfaced indicating concerns over the regulation of the horse racing sector by the newly established Horse Racing Integrity Division. However, the regulator refuted these claims, maintaining that the oversight was being effectively managed.
