Online gambling in Seychelles is legal and regulated: the Financial Services Authority (FSA) is the sole body that licenses casinos, slot machines and interactive (online) gambling under the Seychelles Gambling Act 2014, and it tightened oversight of online operators through the Seychelles Gambling (Interactive Gambling) Rules 2024. Crypto is legal to hold but is not legal tender, and virtual-asset firms must be FSA-licensed under the VASP Act 2024. There is no gambling-specific tax on winnings.

Gambling in Seychelles operates under the Seychelles Gambling Act 2014, administered by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), which is the sole authority able to issue a licence. The FSA runs three licence categories: casino, slot machine, and interactive gambling (online). So online betting is not banned - it is a licensed activity.

In practice, the interactive licence has largely served offshore-facing operators targeting international players rather than a large domestic online market. In late 2023 the government moved to close a supervision gap, with Vice-President Ahmed Afif noting the state had “given a license to somebody but it does not control online gaming.” The resulting Interactive Gambling Rules 2024 (Statutory Instrument 2 of 2024) clarify licence categories, fees and conditions and set out AML/CFT duties, KYC, transaction monitoring, audit logs and a ban on accepting cash from players.

Licensed operators vs offshore sites

Seychelles hosts licensed land-based casinos - including Berjaya International Casino, Star Casino, Victoria Casino, Club Liberte and Gran Kaz - plus licensed slot venues. On the FSA register, Amazon Slots holds a slot machine licence and Amazon Betting holds the interactive (online) gambling licence. These operators are supervised locally by the FSA.

Many online sites that carry a Seychelles interactive licence are aimed at players abroad. A Seychelles licence tells you where a company is registered and supervised for AML purposes; it does not, on its own, guarantee the same consumer-protection strength as tier-one regulators. Always verify an operator’s licence directly on the FSA register before depositing.

Payments and crypto

Seychelles casinos are known for hard-currency gaming - the resort casinos let you play and collect winnings in US dollars as well as Seychellois rupees (SCR). Local payment options include cards and bank transfers.

For cryptocurrency, Seychelles has a formal regime. The Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Act 2024 came into force on 1 September 2024, and any firm offering exchange, wallet or brokering services in or from Seychelles must be FSA-licensed. Crypto is legal to use but not legal tender, and unlicensed VASP activity is a criminal offence carrying fines up to USD 350,000 or up to 15 years’ imprisonment. The FSA does not prohibit crypto payments for licensed interactive gaming, though a large share of crypto betting runs through offshore online operators rather than local casinos.

Tax on winnings

Seychelles has no gambling-specific tax on winnings, no capital gains tax, and no general personal income tax on windfalls. Personal tax under the Income and Non-Monetary Benefits Tax Act 2010 applies to employment emoluments and non-monetary benefits (15% since 1 January 2023), and business income is taxed separately. The Seychelles Revenue Commission does not publish a specific rule on casual winnings, so if gambling is effectively your trade, seek advice from the Seychelles Revenue Commission - and always factor in the tax rules of your own country of residence.

Safety and responsible gambling

Because many crypto and online options run through offshore-licensed operators, do your own checks: confirm the licence on the FSA register, read withdrawal terms, and prefer operators offering deposit limits, self-exclusion and clear complaints routes. If gambling stops being fun, step away and seek support.

Sources

18+. Gamble responsibly. Gambling can be addictive - set limits, never bet more than you can afford to lose, and seek help if it stops being fun.