Legalizing online gambling in Haiti

The possibility of legalizing online gambling in Haiti

1) Current position: "grey area" without direct ban

Today, online casinos and betting in Haiti are in a legal vacuum: there is no special law and licensing, and players often turn to offshore sites without government prosecution. This means de facto "not banned and not allowed," which deprives the market of consumer protection and budget - taxes.

In parallel, LEH (Loterie de l'État Haïtien) is legally recognized as the only regulator of games (lotteries and the ground "borlette" segment), which has been confirmed by court decisions in recent years. However, LEH's mandate for the online sphere and digital channels is not detailed by a separate law.

It is significant that in 2025 LEH tightens control over the retail network: from October 1, 2025, only POS systems provided by LEH itself are allowed, with a transition period until January 1, 2026. This is a clear signal for digitalization and a prerequisite for future regulation of online sales of gaming products.

2) Historical and institutional background

In Haiti, gambling is legalized by a 1960 decree (emphasis on casinos in large hotels), but the regulatory framework is fragmentary and outdated relative to digital channels. Institutional weakness and high regulatory risk have long held back investment and industry modernization.

3) Why legalisation is worth considering

Fiscal receipts and employment. A regulated online marketplace turns offshore "leakage" into taxes and licensing fees; international practice shows that countries with clear standards extract stable incomes without destroying the offline sector, with the correct GGR tax rate and restrictions on bonuses.

Consumer protection. Mandatory KYC, deposit limits, responsible play and operator block lists reduce social harm compared to wild offshore.

AML/CFT compliance. Haiti has already updated AML/CFT mode in 2023; shifting these requirements to licensed online operators would reduce the risks of laundering and financing crime through payments.

4) Regulatory models: What's right for Haiti

1. Single operator model (LEH monopoly/state platform).

Simple control, quick start;

− Limited competition, risk of weak UX/innovation.

2. Limited number of licenses (5-10 operators).

Competition, investment, technological development;

− Requires strong oversight and transparent selection.

3. Open license (anyone who meets the standards).

Maximum selection for players;

− High requirements for regulatory capacity.

Many jurisdictions of LatAm and the world follow the 2nd and 3rd models, combining a GGR tax of 15-25%, contributions to the responsible game fund and technical regulations (RNG certification, safe segregation of funds, audit).

5) Tax and payment architecture for online

Gross gaming income tax (GGR) as basic - so as not to push operators into the shadows and not "kill" margins.

License fees: initial and annual (vertical differentiation: casino, betting, poker).

Gaming contributions to social programs (sports/health/education).

Payments: mandatory localization of settlements through providers included in the LEH register, with transactional monitoring under AML/KYC. The LEH course used at the POS level demonstrates readiness for centralized reporting, which is scaled to online platforms.

6) Cryptocurrencies: a cautious sandbox, not a wild field

The online market without rules increases the attractiveness of crypto schemes to bypass the banking system. With legalization - only licensed providers with custodial wallets, travel-rule, restriction of anonymous assets and mandatory offchain/online analytics. Start - in pilot format (for example, only for sports betting with limits and full KYC).

7) Technical requirements for license

Platforms: RNG/game certification, event log, real-time reporting to the LEH regulatory gateway.

Players: hard KYC (documents + liveness), age 18 +, default limits.

Geocontrol: geofencing within the country, blocking unlicensed domains, notice-and-block mechanism together with communication providers.

Payments and responsible play: 3-DS/OTP, cooling periods, self-exclusion, visible risks.

Audit: annual tech audit and data protection report.

8) Risks and how to minimize them

Weakness of institutions and enforcement of norms. Medicine - digital reporting (POS/LEH online gateway), independent auditors, "regulator-service" with public statistics.

Offline "cannibalization." Licensing conditions can connect online operators with offline investments (employment channels, tourism), and tax can stimulate responsible growth.

Social effects. Gambling addiction treatment fund, education campaigns, default limits and behavioral risk marker tracking.

9) Legalization roadmap (pragmatic phased plan)

Stage 0 - Preparation (T0-T + 6 months)

Interdepartmental working group (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, telecom regulator, LEH).

Publication of a White Paper with tax and licence options; public consultations.

Terms of reference for the "regulatory gateway" LEH (billing integration, reporting, anti-fraud). Parallel: scaling POS control to the digital perimeter.

Stage I - limited pilot (T + 6-18 months)

Interactive Gambling Act (definitions, offenses, LEH online powers).

3-5 temporary licenses (sports betting + casino), GGR-tax 15-20%, responsible game fund 1%.

Phase II - Scale-up (T + 18-36 months)

Expansion to 10 licenses, connection of additional verticals (iCasino, poker, fantasy).

Quarterly publication of KPI: NGR, taxes, share of "white" traffic, responsible play metrics.

The beginning of the "regulatory sandbox" for cryptocurrencies under strict compliance.

Phase III - Robustness (T + 36 months and beyond)

Assessment of the impact on the offline sector; adjustment of taxes/limits.

Improvement of interlocks and interagency data exchange.

Export of the regulatory model to neighboring niches (online lotteries, instant games).

10) Conclusion: "smart" legalization is better than a haphazard "gray zone"

Haiti is already moving towards digital control through the modernization of LEH in retail - this is a convenient step for the civilized legalization of the online market. A clear law, a measurable GGR tax, strict AML/KYC and technical supervision will give the budget new revenues, business the rules of the game, and players the protection that is not in the current vacuum.

Note on sources: "online not settled "/" gray zone" status is confirmed by industry directories and directories; LEH's exclusive control is supported by jurisprudence and current directives. The tightening of POS control from October 2025 indicates a readiness for digital reporting, which is logical to expand to online channels.