Madagascar Steps From a Grey Market Toward a Regulated Jurisdiction with Bill No. 019/2026
Madagascar’s National Assembly is moving forward with a comprehensive legislative overhaul to reform its gambling sector. On August 25, 2026, the National Assembly officially opened its second extraordinary parliamentary session, placing Bill No. 019/2026 at the top of its legislative agenda.
The government-initiated proposal, Bill No. 019/2026 (Projet de Loi N° 019/2026 du 02 juin 2026), seeks to introduce strict oversight frameworks for gambling activities and gaming establishments. What this bill means is tighter rules for sports betting and online gambling, including national data monitoring, stronger player protection and tougher penalties for unauthorised operators.
To be specific, the bill highlighted mandatory data monitoring rules, where licensed online operators will now be required to feed live players’ data into a centralised monitoring system. Second, there was the anti-money laundering measure. The new bill stressed enhanced financial compliance and tighter licensing procedures in order to curb the risk of financial crimes within the gaming sector.
There were also guidelines on measures that help curb problem gambling and defend vulnerable players. The proposed law sets the minimum gambling age at 21, and operators are required to introduce responsible gambling, including self-exclusion, deposit and stake limits and time restrictions.
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Lastly, there were the proposals on financial and legal penalties against unauthorised and unlicensed operators. If the bill passes, the illegal operators could now face one to five years of imprisonment and fines between Ar10 million and Ar50 million. Additionally, advertising illegal gambling could attract fines of up to AR30 million.
Up until this legislative push, Madagascar has operated fundamentally as a grey market for online gambling. While traditional physical casinos and sportsbooks and lotteries are strictly regulated and licensed under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, there haven’t been any strong legal frameworks that guide the operations of the online gambling industry.
Malagasy citizens frequently access offshore iGaming websites and unregulated mobile betting applications. Because no localised licensing pipeline exists for digital-only operators, the state has been unable to collect specific online gaming taxes or enforce consumer protections.
The enactment of Bill No. 019/2026 marks a significant shift from a grey market to a fully regulated jurisdiction. For the operators, it means the end of an era. Companies wishing to offer digital sports betting, online slots, or virtual card games for Malagasy citizens will have to establish local compliance pipelines, integrate with national tracking software, and pay local duties. For the players, it means safer gaming and better protection against predatory platforms.
