Gambling in Mauritius is woven into the island’s social fabric, and its defining institution is horse racing at the Champ de Mars in Port Louis, whose racecourse dates to 1812 and whose organising body, the Mauritius Turf Club, is considered the oldest horse-racing club in the Southern Hemisphere (and the second oldest in the world). Around this racing tradition sit a popular national lottery, sports betting, and licensed land-based casinos. Attitudes are generally relaxed and mainstream rather than taboo, but the state regulates gambling tightly through the Gambling Regulatory Authority, taxes it, and funds responsible-gambling work.

A history built around the racecourse

Mauritian gambling culture is inseparable from Champ de Mars. The racecourse was inaugurated on 25 June 1812, on ground that had earlier served as a military training field. The Mauritius Turf Club, founded the same year by Edward Alured Draper, set up racing partly to help reconcile French settlers with the new British administration after Britain took the island in 1810. It is regarded as the oldest horse-racing club in the Southern Hemisphere and the second oldest in the world.

More than two centuries later, race days remain major social occasions, drawing large, mixed crowds to the heart of the capital. Betting on the horses is a mainstream pastime rather than a fringe activity, and the racing calendar is a fixture of the local year.

While racing is the cultural anchor, several other forms of gambling are widely enjoyed:

  • The national lottery (Loto): The Mauritius National Lottery and its instant/scratch products are broadly popular and accessible.
  • Sports and fixed-odds betting: Offered by licensed bookmakers, with football prominent.
  • Casino games: Land-based casinos offer roulette, blackjack and other table games alongside gaming machines.
  • Gaming machines / slots: Available in licensed casinos and gaming venues.

Casinos on the island

Mauritius has a cluster of licensed land-based casinos. Casino de Maurice in Curepipe is widely described as the island’s oldest, dating to 1970, while the Le Caudan Waterfront Casino sits in Port Louis. These venues hold casino licences from the GRA that permit live table games and slot machines, and they operate under the responsible-gambling and AML/CFT conditions the regulator imposes.

Attitudes and regulation

The Mauritian approach blends acceptance with control. Gambling is socially normalised, especially around racing, yet the state treats it as an activity to be tightly regulated and taxed. The Gambling Regulatory Authority licenses operators, enforces an 18+ minimum age, applies AML/CFT rules, and administers a Responsible Gambling and Capacity Building Fund. A Problem Gambling Helpline is referenced on the regulator’s website, reflecting official awareness that a popular pastime carries real risks for some players.

Information here is general and limited by what is publicly published; it is not legal advice.

18+ only. Gambling can be addictive. Please play responsibly.

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