Online Regulation - Haiti

1) Haiti starting conditions: "offline under control, online - vacuum"

Today, Haiti does not have a separate law/regime for online casinos and betting; games are supervised by the Haiti Lottery (LEH) at the MEF. In 2025, LEH launched a digital platform and demanded that from October 1, 2025, retail lottery operations be conducted only through LEH POS terminals (with a grace period until January 1, 2026), which strengthens offline accounting, but does not replace licensing iGaming.

In parallel, the macro environment remains complex: the IMF describes a "multidimensional crisis," a weak tax base and a high level of informality - this makes the fiscal design of the future online sensitive to administration.

2) The closest landmark is the experience of the Dominican Republic

The neighboring DR in March 2024 approved Resolución 136-2024, opening an official regime for online casinos and online betting, with a list of technical requirements for platforms (accounting, RNG/" GNA, "inspections, remote connections to the regulator). In 2025, a bill with a fiscal framework is presented: 10% of the income of online platforms or a fixed monthly fee for the transition period, while the state-IT supervision system is unfolding.

Conclusion for Haiti: phased legalization is possible, where admission rules and technical supervision are first introduced, and the fiscal unit starts in a "temporary mode" while the monitoring infrastructure is being created.

3) The framework of the future law: what to "assemble" it from

Institutions and perimeter

LEH (regulator) under the MEF "umbrella": licensing, technical supervision, sanctions; interagency connection with financial intelligence and tax.

Technical requirements for operators

Certified RNG/GNA, transaction logging, secure remote regulator connections to the platform, inspection access, segregation of customer funds. (Similar to DR requirements)

Responsible game: limits, self-exclusion, clear bonus conditions, age verification procedures. (DR has already issued a draft rule on Responsible Gaming.)

Finance and fiscal

Temporary regime: a single rate on the income of online platforms or a fixed monthly fee before the launch of state IT supervision (reference - DR model).

Integration with the general tax system (MEF/DGI) and subsequent adaptation to actual sales.

Law enforcement

Maintaining the practice of AVIS/NOTICE against unlicensed services, plus blocking/prescribing to payment providers. (LEH already publishes such notices.)

4) A realistic roadmap for Haiti (2025-2030)

Phase A - Preparatory (up to Q1 2026)

Consulting MEF/LEH with the market and finalizing technical requirements on the model of DR (RNG, remote access, reporting, KYC/AML).

Inventory of payment infrastructure: how LEH-POS and the mobile payment ecosystem will fit into online wallets/acquiring.

Phase B - Pilot and temporary fiscal regime (2026-2027)

Opening licenses to a limited number of operators at a temporary tax rate (fix or% of income) while the state-IT monitoring platform is being built (by analogy with DR).

Emphasis on the minimum set of mandatory games (casino RNG + bets) with the priority of Responsible Gaming.

Stage C - Full Mode (2027/2028)

Introduction of the LEH operating IT platform for realtime control, revision of time rates in favor of a permanent scale, expansion of the license pool.

Harmonization with tourism (clear rules of cross-promotion with hotels/casinos and consumer protection).

5) Risk-benefit balance

Benefits: Legal jobs and new tax revenue; reduction of the "gray sector"; consumer protection and reputational effect (important for tourism).

Risks: institutional burden in a crisis environment; cyber and payment risks; the need for phasing and "pilot" startup (so as not to overload LEH).

6) The minimum set of norms for the "online law"

1. Licensing and allowed verticals (RNG casino, bets, live), with a list of prohibitions.

2. Technical regulations: RNG/certification, remote connection of the regulator, log/data storage, reporting, KYC/AML.

3. Taxes/fees: temporary regime (10% of income or fix), then a permanent scale after entering the monitoring platform.

4. Player protection: limits, self-exclusion, RG policies, transparent bonuses.

5. Enforcement: AVIS, domain/payment blocks, sanctions for violation.

Bottom line: Haiti has the technical and institutional "foundation" (LEH/MEF and experience in digitalizing offline) to introduce phased regulation of online gambling. The optimal strategy is a pilot with a temporary fiscal regime and strict technical supervision similar to the Dominican Republic (Resolución 136-2024), followed by a transition to a permanent model when IT monitoring becomes mature. Against the backdrop of a crisis macro environment, the key to success is realism in terms of timing, coordination with the tax/payment system and the priority of protecting players.