Online gambling - Haiti's "gray zone"

Online gambling in Haiti is not formally regulated by a separate law. This creates a "gray area" where the land sector and lotteries fall under state supervision, but for online casinos/bets there is no detailed license, procedure and tax regime. Profile reports point directly: online casinos in Haiti are not legalized, which pushes players to offshore sites.

1) Who controls games offline and what with online

The official supervision of the gambling segment is carried out by the Haitian Lottery (LEH) under the "umbrella" of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF); LEH appears in the list of subordinate structures of the Ministry of Finance. Land-based casinos/lottery points are subject to registration and licensing requirements. However, there is no separate, transparent regime for online operators in Haiti.

2) LEH prescriptions against illegal online platforms

LEH regularly publishes AVIS/NOTICE with warnings and prohibitions against Internet projects operating without permits (for example, the ban on Avantaj Pam in January 2024; there are other public warnings). This demonstrates the position of the state: online games without the LEH sanction are illegal.

3) Digital platform and POS: lottery control, but not full iGaming law

From October 1, 2025, LEH announced the launch of a digital platform and that only LEH POS terminals are allowed for lottery operations; a grace period is provided until January 1, 2026 for the "regularization" of operators. This strengthens fiscal control over offline circulation (lotteries/points of sale), but POS itself does not legalize online casinos - it does not replace iGaming licensing.

4) Why players go offshore

The lack of local licenses for online casinos has created a "default" market: Haitians use foreign sites (often without local compliance, responsible tools and payment guarantees). Industry reviews call Haiti's regulatory framework "outdated" and offline-oriented, down to historical restrictions on land-based casinos (only at large hotels), which explains the slow adaptation to the digital environment.

5) Risks for players and operators

Legal risk: LEH treats unlicensed online activity as a violation; interlocks/inhibits are possible.

Financial risk: offshore sites have no local consumer protection; refunds/challenging winnings are complicated. (This follows from the status of "not legalized.")

AML/KYC compliance: international assessments emphasized the low formalization of part of the casino market and the need to register with LEH - the online sector without a license exacerbates these vulnerabilities.

6) What do businesses and players do "here and now"

Operators: Any online product plan in Haiti needs to start by consulting LEH/MEF; The POS/digital platform primarily concerns lotteries/retail, and does not give an "automatic" license to Internet casinos.

Players: assess the risks of offshore, check the age/ID requirements and refrain from sites that directly fell under AVIS LEH.

7) Looking Ahead (2025-2027)

While the state is strengthening digital accounting for offline operations through POS LEH, the issue of complete legalization/licensing of online casinos remains open. A likely scenario is the gradual preparation of the regulatory framework based on fiscal accounting and AML control; until its adoption, online gambling will remain a "gray zone" with bans on unlicensed providers.

Conclusion: In Haiti, online casinos are not legalized, and LEH has consistently banned unlicensed online services and put things in order in offline lotteries through a digital platform and POS terminals. For players, this means high risk when accessing offshore sites; for business - the need to build a dialogue with the regulator and not confuse the "digitalization of lotteries" with a ready-made legal regime for iGaming.