Gambling Laws in Madagascar

Various forms of land-based gambling in Madagascar are legal under the current gambling legislation in the country which includes casino games, lotteries and PMU betting. However, as there are no specific online gambling laws in Madagascar, it is generally considered that online gambling in Madagascar is not regulated. In June 2017 a Government Council has approved a communication on the waiver of a long-lasting suspension of the issuance of further authorizations for the creation of online casino operations in the country. As no further laws have been issued in this regard, no company has been granted yet an online license from the authorities in Madagascar with the exception of online betting. Online betting on horse races and sports is made legal under Decree n ° 7974/2018 of March 30, 2018, of the Ministries of Finance, Interior and Decentralization as well as Decree n ° 763/94 of 25/02/1994 of the Society for exploitation of Lotteries (Société d'Exploitation des Loteries).  The body responsible for regulation of the legal gambling in the country is a council within the Ministry of Finance of Madagascar. This body is responsible for supervising the work of the companies in the gambling sector and also for the granting of licenses of prospective operators. According to Madagascar gambling laws, minors, under 18 years of age are prohibited to participate in any gambling activities.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Madagascar? All forms of online gambling are not regulated in Madagascar with exception of online betting.

Online Casinos in Madagascar

The Colbert Hotel & Casino is the only casino operating in Madagascar, as of April 2019. Beside this land-based casino establishment there are neither land-based nor online casinos in Madagascar. Online gambling in the country is not regulated under the current gambling laws. This is the reason why no Madagascar online casino licenses have been on the offer so far. Foreign internet casino sites are not blocked from accessing the gambling market of Madagascar by the respective authorities.

Online Poker in Madagascar

Poker in Madagascar can only be played legally in the frames of the operating casinos. Outside of the casino poker for prizes is considered to be illegal. As of April 2019 there are no online poker sites in Madagascar. As there are no specific Madagascar online poker laws, no online poker licenses in Madagascar have been on the offer. Foreign online poker sites, are not blocked from accessing the gambling market in Madagascar.

Online lottery in Madagascar

Austral Games (ADJ) is the new gaming company that is licensed to operate the lotto market in Madagascar. In 2017 they launched the new game on the island, called Volanao which became one of the most popular lotto games in Madagascar. Online lottery in Madagascar, however, is still not an option. Foreign online lotto sites are also actively blocked from accessing the Madagascar market.

Online bingo in Madagascar

Similar as in cases with the other gambling sites, there are also no online bingo sites in Madagascar. Since there are no specific Madagascar online bingo laws, there have been no offers for licenses regarding online bingo by the respective gambling authorities, as of April 2019. Foreign online bingo sites are blocked from accessing the market of Madagascar.

Online sports betting in Madagascar

Various forms of sports betting in Madagascar are legal under the current gambling and betting legislation. PMU Bet is the only provider of sports betting and horse race betting opportunities in the country. Beside their most popular offer for betting on horse races on the Quinte + game, which can also be played through mobile phones via SMS, they offer a variety of football matches from all over the world. Through their webstie Bet261 this company administers the only online sportsbook site in Madagascar. Beside the domestic offer, plenty of foreign internet sportsbook sites are actively targeting players from Madagascar, most of them being licensed elsewhere in Africa.

Online daily fantasy sports in Madagascar

Online DFS sites in Madagascar do not have a legally regulated status. Considering the non-regulated status of online sports betting in the country, it is very probable that internet Daily Fantasy Sports would not receive soon a legal status in Madagascar.