Casino Prospects - Haiti
1) Base point: what is now
The market format is a metropolitan hotel-casino cluster (Petionville/Port-au-Prince) with a limited number of tables and slots; outside the capital - single sites.
The main mass segment is lotteries (borlette); The casino sector is small and depends on tourist flow and business visits.
The regulatory vector is the strengthening of cash discipline offline (end-to-end accounting, POS/digitalization), a growing demand for transparency and security.
2) External growth drivers at stabilization
1. Return of tourism: flights, cruises, MICE, missions and diaspora. Even a partial recovery in flows sharply increases the evening demand for entertainment in the capital's hotels.
2. Investment in accommodation: upgrades/extensions of 3-5 hotels in the capital and "business corridors" create new carriers of casino space.
3. Urban security and transportation: secured neighborhoods, organized taxi transfers and lighting are directly converted to casino "opening hours" and an average check.
4. Payment availability: expanding acquiring, stable communication, mobile wallets for small transactions - all this reduces friction at the entrance.
3) Three realistic scenarios 2026-2032
A) "Careful recovery" (base)
Tourism returns stepwise; cruises - partially and seasonally.
In the capital, 1-2 updated hotel-casino sites are being launched, the fleet of slots is growing by 30-50%, tables - by 20-30%.
Focus - evening leisure at hotels, city-break + gastronomy + casino tours.
B) Capital Upgrade (Acceleration)
A new middle hotel appears with a hall for 60-100 cars and 6-8 tables; existing facilities get VIP rooms, poker events on weekends.
Cruise calls bring "waves" of demand; hotels pack shows/tournaments/restaurants.
Bank acquiring and reporting are stabilizing → the share of non-cash is growing.
C) "Two Poles" (ambition)
In addition to the capital, a compact cluster is being formed in a tourist area (for example, off the northern coast) based on 1-2 hotels with chamber halls.
There are joint events "sports + casino + kitchen/music" for high dates, the international image is improving.
Requires synchronization of safety, road/airline and destination marketing.
4) Supply model: what to build and how
City carrier hotels: hall 80-120 slots, 8-12 tables (roulette, blackjack, scheduled poker), bar/kitchen, stage with live music.
"Cameras" at boutique hotels: 30-50 slots + 3-4 tables, bet on service and privacy.
Event formats: evening shows, mini-tournaments, poker weekends, gastronomic set menus - everything that prolongs a guest's stay at the hotel.
Technologies: modern KKS/slot system, video surveillance, revenue analytics, integration with hotel PMS and cash register circuit.
5) Regulatory background (LEH/MEF)
Transparent cash desk and reporting: end-to-end accounting of rates/payments for halls and integration with hotel software; clear rules for chips, promo chips and tips.
Responsible play: age control, visible warnings, self-exclusion, limits, trained front office staff.
Security procedures: collection procedures, backup power/communication, access control, pit logs.
Communication with the market: clear requirements for licensing/registries, regular "AVIS," predictability of checks.
6) Payments and Finance
Settlement scheme: cash + cards for F & B/accommodation; mobile wallets - for small transactions around the hotel (promo payments, show reservations, etc.).
Import and service: plan in advance the logistics of slots/spare parts, maintenance contracts, training of engineers.
Taxes: correctly separate "game" and "non-game" revenue (restaurant/events/accommodation) so as not to confuse the tax bases.
7) People and skills: narrow neck → training program
Front shots: dealers, cashiers, pit bosses, security services; basic English/French, service, responsible communications.
Technical staff: slot tech, IT/video, KKS specialists.
Partnerships: quick courses at hotels/colleges, diaspora mentoring, internships with equipment suppliers.
Service culture: standards of hospitality, scripts for controversial situations, ethics of neck and VIP service.
8) Marketing and Product
Segments: Business guests/MICE, expats/missions, cruise passengers (on return), diaspora, weekend tourists from the region.
Packages: "dinner + shows + tables," "MICE-day, casino-evening," "poker-weekend," "thematic week of cuisine/music."
Partners: airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants and local brands.
9) Benchmarks for investor (conditional business logic)
CapEx: renovation of the hall and IT, delivery of 80-120 slots, 8-12 tables, video surveillance, ticket office, interior.
OpEx: payment fund (dealers/pit/security/those), equipment service, energy/communications, marketing, compliance.
Unit economy: the key is loading the hall by the hour (evening peak), F&B share, event frequency. The business is stable with a stable combination of "hotel + casino + gastronomy" and competent risk management.
10) Roadmap 18-24 months (if the situation improves)
Quarter 1-2
Audit of sites and safety; concept design of the hall; agreements with suppliers; personnel plan and training modules.
Casino-school pilot nights to train guests and staff.
Quarter 3-4
Supply/installation of equipment, integration with hotel systems; "quiet" start, stress tests; start of the table schedule.
Launch of monthly events (poker weekends, gastro shows, mini-concerts).
Year 2
Expansion of the slot fleet and VIP area; airline/cruise partnerships; the first series of "congress + casino night" MICE packages.
Transition to a permanent grid of events, loyalty debugging (levels, bonuses without abuse).
11) Risks and how to extinguish them
Security and infrastructure interruptions → security protocols, backup power/communication, transport of guests.
Personnel shortage → "teach inside," mentoring programs, transparent career ladders.
Payment failures → multi-channel (cash/cards/local wallets), offline checkout modes, chargeback regulations.
Reputation → Responsible Gaming, transparent rules, guest services "without noise."
With the stabilization of the economy and security, the Haitian casino industry has a chance for "smart growth" around the capital's hotel-casino model: more high-quality halls, events and links with gastronomy and MICE. The key to scaling is transparent checkout and supervision, trained personnel, payment stability and guest safety. On an ambitious horizon, the appearance of a second compact cluster in the tourist zone is possible, but it is the capital that will remain the engine - subject to the coordination of the state, hotels and investors.