Crypto and gambling Haiti

The role of cryptocurrencies in gambling in Haiti

1) Context: "online without rules," digital retail and pressure on transparency

Online casinos and bets in Haiti are not directly regulated by law: there are no special rules and licenses for online operators, which is why players go to offshore sites. This deprives the market of consumer protection and the budget of taxes.

In parallel, the Haitian State Lottery (LEH) is transferring the offline lottery to its own POS systems: from October 1, 2025, only LEH terminals are allowed (transition period - until January 1, 2026). This is a step towards total digital reporting that is easy to scale to online channels.

2) Where cryptocurrencies are here today

Access to offshore platforms. In the absence of a local online license, players use foreign sites, where crypto often acts as a "universal" replenishment/withdrawal method without bank intermediaries. (Behavior is logical under a legal vacuum.)

Financial infrastructure and digital habits. Bank of Haiti (BRH) and the market are actively developing mobile wallets and settlements (MonCash; expansion of payment rails, SPIH). This forms the demand for digital payments in general and reduces barriers to "digitized" funds, including crypto.

Mobility vs internet gap. Mobile wallets (MonCash) have penetrated deeply into everyday calculations and loans; they introduce users to "cashless" and online, even if the total share of Internet users is still limited.

3) Why cryptocurrency is attractive to players and operators

Pseudonymity and global availability: it is easy to pay for offshore services bypassing local banks.

Instantaneous cross-border settlements: comparable to digital wallets, but without correspondent networks.

Low fees for certain networks/assets: especially on L2/stablecoins.

But all this is at the same time a source of regulatory risks (laundering, bypassing age/limit barriers). The international standard requires extending AML/CFT measures to VASPs (exchanges, wallet providers) - this is what FATF is seeking from countries.

4) Key risks for Haiti

AML/CFT and the "trail" of operations. Without licenses and KYC, crypto payment providers are growing ML/TF and crime financing risks; The FATF points directly to global regulatory "holes" and calls for them to be closed.

Consumer protection. There are no standards for responsible play, no self-exclusion mechanisms and no chargebacks.

Tax losses. Offshore crypto deposits are not visible.

Technical preparation. We need certification of games/RNG and a real-time reporting gateway - otherwise the control is fictitious.

5) Realistic integration scenario: sandbox + LEH regulatory gateway

Step 1. Legal definitions and perimeter.

Adopt a basic law on interactive games: define "online games," "operator," "VASPs," "stablecoin," "cryptocurrency payment"; consolidate LEH's powers over online verticals and crypto payments in the gambling segment. (FATF R.15 support.)

Step 2. "Sandbox" (pilot for 12-18 months).

Allow only stablecoins from licensed VASPs with full KYC (liveness, documents), travel-rule and address analytics (on-chain monitoring).

Limits: low deposit thresholds, daily/monthly caps, rigid segmentation of risk profiles.

Vertical: start with sports betting (the simplest GGR calculation model), then iCasino.

All transactions go through the LEH regulatory gateway (an analogue of the POS circuit in retail): real-time reporting, NGR/GGR/ARPU summaries, behavioral red flags. POS reform 2025 confirms LEH's readiness to move into this format.

Step 3. Taxes and fees.

GGR tax 15-20% (without "current" taxes on deposits, so as not to push into the shadows).

Contribution 1% - to the fund of responsible play (education, addiction treatment).

Licenses: individual by vertical; operator access to crypto payments - only under a contract with a licensed VASP and integration with the LEH gateway. (Corresponds to the FATF vector.)

Step 4. Player and product.

Age 18 +, mandatory KYC; self-exclusion tools, cooling periods, default limits.

RNG/games certification; storage of logs; independent tech audit.

Geoblocks and block lists of unlicensed domains together with communication providers.

6) How does this compare to Haiti's payment reality

The country's monetary infrastructure is rapidly "digitized" - MonCash has become an everyday tool for millions, used by banks even to issue/repay microloans; BRH promotes settlement rails and clearing (SPIH). These shifts reduce compliance costs and make it easier to connect VASPs to uniform reporting rules.

At the same time, general Internet access is still below world averages - this is an argument in favor of phased integration of crypto payments, starting with simple scenarios and small limits.

7) KPI of a "healthy" pilot

Share of white deposits (VASP with LEH license) in total turnover.

Decrease in the share of offshore unlicensed transactions.

Number of self-exclusions/limit triggers (as a proxy for responsible play).

Response time to AML alerts and the proportion of confirmed cases.

Tax revenues (GGR tax + license fees).

8) What happens if you don't change anything

Growth in the share of offshore operators accepting crypto without CUS/limits.

Increased AML/CFT risks, which contradicts the FATF international agenda and complicates access to correspondent accounts/payment rails.

Continued tax losses and lack of responsible play mechanisms.

Cryptocurrencies are already influencing the behavior of players in Haiti - as a "workaround" payment for the offshore online market. Instead of blind bans, it is worth launching managed integration: a law based on FATF recommendations, a sandbox (stablecoins through licensed VASPs), an LEH regulatory gateway with real-time reporting and tough responsible play tools. This turns crypto from a "gray" practice into a transparent channel with taxes, player protection and risk control.

Sources (key): gray zone status for online; LEH POS reform and retail digitalization; digital payments and MonCash; FATF standards for virtual assets; shared internet context and mobile connectivity.