TLDR Madagascar has introduced Draft Law No. 019/2026 to overhaul its gambling sector for the first time in over fifty years. The bill replaces the 1971 gambling law and a February 2026 decree with one unified framework. Gambling activities are split into categories covering hotel casinos, standalone casinos, betting and lotteries, and online gambling. The minimum gambling age is set at 21, and credit betting is banned outright. Penalties include license suspension, revocation, fines, and prison terms of up to five years for serious offenses.
Madagascar’s government has put forward a new gambling bill that would change how the industry operates across the country. The draft law is numbered 019/2026 and was published by the Ministry of Interior and Decentralization.
It was adopted by the National Assembly during its second extraordinary session. The bill has not yet been signed into law.
This law would replace rules that have been in place since 1971. It also replaces a decree issued in February 2026.
The goal is to bring licensing, online gambling, player protection, and anti-money laundering rules under a single legal structure. The bill is linked to Article 95.II.5 of Madagascar’s Constitution.
Gambling Categories and Age Rules
The draft law splits real money gambling into separate categories, each needing its own license. Casino games located inside hotels rated three stars or higher fall into the first category.
Casinos outside hotels and amusement arcades make up a second category. Betting on animals, sports, lotteries, and scratch cards form a third group.
Online and network-based gambling is placed into a fourth category. Each type of gambling requires separate authorization from regulators.
The bill sets the legal gambling age at 21. Operators must confirm both a player’s age and legal capacity before allowing them to gamble.
Companies must also add tools