Réunion Gambling Guide (on the picture: Casino de St-Gilles, in Saint-Paul, the second-largest commune)
| Summary: Gambling is legal in Réunion since 1907 (officially La Rényon, a French Overseas Department, an island nation with a population of 868 K).
Online gambling is also legal as well, since 2009. You can find a list of online gambling websites, which accept players from Réunion by scrolling below, or click here to jump to that list: |
French gambling laws apply to Réunion, Reunionese authorities can not legislate for themselves, when it comes to games of chance. Therefore, the history of the French gambling sector is determinant.
Gambling is legal in Réunion since 1907, according to Article L.320-1 of the French Code of Homeland Security (Chapitre préliminaire : Dispositions communes – Articles L320-1 à L320-18)1, which is the main piece of the French gambling legislation.
Interesting fact: Réunion is right next to Mayotte, another French territory (a politically correct term for modern-day colonies). Many of the tourists, which visit Réunion also take the ferry and visit nearby Mayotte as well (and vice-versa). Especially, considering Mayotte does not have any casinos.
Games of chance are legal in most former French colonies, even the predominantly Muslim former French colonies have at least partially legalized gambling over the years. Even those, who are no longer considered territories and are fully independent, e.g.: Cameroon, Guinea.
La Réunion is a French Overseas Department, therefore the French gambling laws apply to the island.
This means that all the following forms of gambling are legal:
- casino gambling;
- bingo;
- poker;
- sports betting;
- lottery.
And the following two forms of wagering are strictly state-owned and controlled:
- lottery (monopoly of Française des Jeux);
- horse racing betting (monopoly of PMU).
UPDATE 2022: This is no longer entirely true, France privatized its lottery in 2019, therefore it is no longer operated by the government. However, the FDJ, and their private owners, still retain a monopoly on lottery. The PMU is still owned and operated by the government.
Online gambling is also legal since 2009.
France reluctantly liberalized its’ internet gambling sector in 2009 due to pressure from the EU2 (although most forms of online gambling were only legalized in 2010). This legalization applies to the French territories as well (bit not to the French collectivities).
This means that players from Réunion can only play on online gambling sites, which have been licensed by the L’Autorité nationale des Jeux (ANJ, the French online gambling regulatory and licensing authority). Playing on unlicensed gambling websites is illegal and Reunionese internet service providers block them.
You can find a list of online gambling websites, which accept players from Réunion below.
Betting on blood sports in Réunion
All forms of blood sports are considered animal cruelty and are illegal in Réunion and in all the other French territories as well. Betting on blood sports is also illegal.
Réunion receives many tourists (significantly more than nearby less-developed Mayotte), around 570 K people visit the islands6.
/Comment: To put this into perspective this is well above the Sub-Saharan African average, which is around 200 K (excluding South Africa)./
This is the main reason why Réunion has 3 casino hotels while nearby Mayotte does not have any (Mayotte only gets around 60,000 visitors per year, many of them not tourists and quite a lot of the tourists are primarily visit Réunion and only take a short trip to Mayotte).
UPDATE COVID-19: These are pre-coronavirus numbers. The global pandemic had a really bad affect on the island’s tourism sector. The post-pandemic official figures are not yet known (at the time of writing) but it is certain that they are going to be significantly lower.
Casino closures are expected as a result.
If you are thinking about visiting the country, watch the video below to get an idea of what to expect:
Réunion gambling licenses
Gambling licences are not issued in Réunion. You have to apply for a gambling licence in France. You can read more about the French offline and online gambling licencing process, fees, requirements here.
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In exchange: In order to appear for free on this website, you have to link back to this guide, from your website. It must be your website, your employer's website, a law blog or something similar. The link doesn't have to be in a prominent position, or on the homepage. It can be placed at the bottom of an unimportant page, where people don't see it, that's fine with me. And 1 sentence is enough, something like this: "We are featured on Simon's Gambling and Casino Blog, at <link here>."
That's all, if you are interested, get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Réunion gambling taxation
French gambling tax rates, which are extremely high, apply to the French territories as well.
These high taxes keep the number of gambling establishment down in mainland France, which is their goal, considering that there are over 200 casinos in the country as it is. However, in Réunion they act as a deterrent to investment, and high taxes are one of the main reason why there aren’t more casino hotels in Réunion, despite the influx of wealthy French tourist, which regularly visit the island (and pensioners, who settle there permanently).
The French gambling tax system is progressive* and it’s also very complicated. It’s probably the worst gambling tax regime in the entire world.
You can see it below.
*Progressive tax definition: The tax rate depends on the revenue, there is no flat tax rate, the more a company earns the more tax they pay. Progressive taxation discourages growth.
| Réunion gambling tax rates | ||
| Activity: | Rate: | Tax Base: |
| Casino tax | Casinos have to pay 28% tax in the first round + then the following progressive tax rate is applied to the remaining revenue in the second round of taxation, based on their annual gross gaming revenue:
|
gross gaming revenue |
| Gaming club tax | Gaming clubs (special type of casino, VIP, entrance fee, dress code) have to pay the following:
|
gross gaming revenue |
| Slot machine tax | 11.2% tax is paid on 68% of the gross gambling revenue from slot machines. | gross gambling revenue from slot machines. |
| Horse racing tax | 37.7% | gross gambling revenue |
| Online poker tax | 40.8% | gross gambling revenue |
| Sports betting tax | 44.5% | gross gambling revenue |
| Online sports betting tax | 55.2% | gross gambling revenue |
| Lottery tax | 54.5% | gross gambling revenue |
| Online lottery tax | 54.5% | gross gambling revenue |
| Lottery-like games | 42% | gross gambling revenue |
| Online lottery-like games (e.g.: bingo, keno, raffles, scratch cards) | 42% | gross gambling revenue |
| Withholding tax (comment: this incentivises gambling companies to make players lose as much as possible, very bad practice, luckily very few countries implement withholding taxes on players’ winnings, like this) | 13.7% | players’ winnings |
As you can see French tax rates are incredibly high, the highest gambling tax rates in all of Europe, and most likely in the world as well.
Gambling taxes are payable in addition to licensing fees and regular taxes (e.g.: corporate tax, which is 31% in France), according to the French tax laws.
For players, taxation of gambling winnings in Réunion: 13.7%
Gambling winnings over €1500 are taxable, at a rate of 13.7%, according to French laws.
The licensed domestic gambling companies are required to pay taxes on the players’ winnings (withholding tax, it’s automatically deducted), not the players. Therefore, players don’t have to pay additional taxes on their winnings after this deduction, as long as their winnings come from licensed legally operating venues and websites.
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And all this for free. Click on the drop down section if you are interested and want to get listed.
How to get featured
- send me a link to your website, or your employer's website
- send me 1-2 sentences about you and/or your business etc.., something that describes the business, what you do, something that makes potential clients interested
- send me one single picture of your company's logo, or a picture of your office, or one of your certificates, credentials which you are proud of etc... (but don't send a picture of yourself, for legal reasons I want to avoid uploading pictures of people)
The picture must be 150x150 pixels.
Contact me through the live chat, it's in the bottom right corner of the website, or in the comments section at the bottom of this page, with a link to the website you wish to advertise. If you qualify, I will give you my email address where we can discuss everything (I won't be putting my email address on the page, due to the extreme amount of spam I receive as it is).
In exchange: In order to appear for free on this website, you have to link back to this guide, from your website. It must be your website, your employer's website, a law blog or something similar. The link doesn't have to be in a prominent position, or on the homepage. It can be placed at the bottom of an unimportant page, where people don't see it, that's fine with me. And 1 sentence is enough, something like this: "We are featured on Simon's Gambling and Casino Blog, at <link here>."
That's all, if you are interested, get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Gambling age in Réunion: 18+ (was lowered from 21+ in 1987, charity lotteries, funfair games and sweepstakes are an exception, no set gambling age in those cases)
Other:
Virtual sports betting and fantasy football are illegal in Réunion.
Social gambling is unregulated in Réunion.
Loot boxes, or similar digital gambling like activities with virtual goods are unregulated in Réunion.
Sources, and main pieces of the Reunionese gambling legislation:
4JSTOR – Freedom to provide services — Article 56 TFEU — Games of chance
5EUR Lex – Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament
6eTN – Reunion Island breaks tourist arrivals record
List of online gambling sites, which accept players from Réunion
The following online gambling websites accept players from Réunion. They all accept players from the country, and are accessible from within the country, at the time of writing. If they no longer accept players from Réunion, or if they are blocked for some reason, please leave a message in the comments section, so I can investigate it.
Fair Go Aussie Themed Casino
FairGo - click to check out the digital casino, latest promotions, offers, hundreds of pokies, Aussie players welcome
- 100% welcome bonus up to $200, on your first 5 deposits (total $500), coupon code: WELCOME
- 100 free spins with code: DOD-GOW (limited time only, please let me know when the code expires)
- 150% bonus and 50 spins on the new slot Lil Red ($20 minimum deposit requirement), coupon code: LILRED150, or on the slot Hyperwins, bonus code: GETHYPED
- Special Neosurf bonus, deposit using Neosurf and get a 200% welcome bonus (only once per player), promo code: 200-NEO
Only one bonus can be active at a time. North American players are accepted at the casino. FairGo Casino does not accept players from: Moldova, Israel, UK. You can read the full review of Fair Go casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
All bonuses, free spins, and other promotional offer are subject to the following wagering limitations and playthrough requirements. Although, we strive to update this section often, it's best if you check the company's website for the latest and up to date bonus terms and conditions (they change it quite often, with every new bonus, it's possible we have missed something, or it's no longer up to date). Terms and conditions of every bonus and promotion:
- Players from the following countries do not qualify for any bonuses: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time.
- Only real money players, who completed the registration are eligible for a bonus.
- No deposit bonuses hold a maximum cash out limit which is 5x the bonus amount unless otherwise specified.
Playthrough requirement:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 60 times before withdrawal, unless otherwise stated.
Wagering requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (a.k.a. Pokies) | 100% |
| All types of Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat and other table games and non-pokies games | 0% |
Mr Bit Casino and Sportsbook
Mr. Bit casino & bookmaker, current 2023 bonus offers, welcome bonus, free spins and offers for returning players, 18+
- 100% welcome bonus Up To €500 + 50 Free Spins
- Free spins every day for returning players
- 33% reload bonus for returning players
You can read the full review of Mr Bit casino here.
USA, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Italy and UK players are not accepted (+ 13 other countries). Full list of banned countries can be found below.
Playthrough requirements, wagering limitations, terms and conditions and list of restricted countries
General bonus terms and conditions at Mr. Bit and its sister sites:
- welcome bonuses are only available for 30 days after account creation
- the minimum deposit to receive any bonus is €10
- the bonus + deposit needs to be wagered within 7 days from date of activation
Playthrough requirement of the welcome bonus: 27x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 27 times before withdrawal. Playthrough requirement of the free spins: 30x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal.
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus:
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
- Maximum bonus amount: €500
- Wagering requirements: x27 (deposit + bonus)
In case of the free spins:
- Participating slots: Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx
- Bet per spin: €0,10
- Wagering requirements: x30 (bonus)
- Limit on withdrawing from the free spins: x10
- 7 days for wagering
Wagering limitation:
- 7 days for wagering
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
- Please note that the free spins will appear on the account, once the 150% bonus has been wagered. Your players will get 10 free spins per day over the course of 5 days (50 free spins in total).
UPDATE COVID-19: The online casino does not use the global pandemic situation for advertisement purposes, or to encourage the usage of its online gambling platform. In fact, it's forbidden to use the namesake, name, likeness and official logo or any depiction of the casino/company (and this casino gambling blog) in conjunction with any marketing campaign, which uses the novel coronavirus pandemic for promotion.
Mr Bit Casino does not accept players from:
Summary:
- Casino gambling in Réunion Island
- Bingo in Réunion Island
- Poker in Réunion Island
- Sports betting in Réunion Island
- Lottery in Réunion Island
- Bitcoin gambling in Réunion Island
Casino gambling in Réunion
Casinos in Réunion: legal since 1907, operators require a licence
Online casino gambling in Réunion: officially illegal, however players are not prosecuted for playing in online casinos because of complicated EU laws
Casinos are legal in Réunion.
There were 4 casinos in Réunion, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. UPDATE COVID-19: There are 3 casinos post-pandemic.
Online casinos are technically illegal in Réunion, due to the French online casino laws. However, unlike in France, the ISPs (internet service providers) do not seem to block unlicensed digital casinos and there is no enforcement regarding this due to various EU laws.
Just like in France, EU licensed online casinos (or online casinos with subsidiaries licensed in any of the EU member states, you can see a list of them below) are exempt of this digital casino ban due to various laws of the European Economic Area (you can see the detailed explanation above4,5).
The online casinos below accept players from Réunion.
The following online casino websites accept players from Réunion:
Fair Go Aussie Themed Casino
FairGo - click to check out the digital casino, latest promotions, offers, hundreds of pokies, Aussie players welcome
- 100% welcome bonus up to $200, on your first 5 deposits (total $500), coupon code: WELCOME
- 100 free spins with code: DOD-GOW (limited time only, please let me know when the code expires)
- 150% bonus and 50 spins on the new slot Lil Red ($20 minimum deposit requirement), coupon code: LILRED150, or on the slot Hyperwins, bonus code: GETHYPED
- Special Neosurf bonus, deposit using Neosurf and get a 200% welcome bonus (only once per player), promo code: 200-NEO
Only one bonus can be active at a time. North American players are accepted at the casino. FairGo Casino does not accept players from: Moldova, Israel, UK. You can read the full review of Fair Go casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
All bonuses, free spins, and other promotional offer are subject to the following wagering limitations and playthrough requirements. Although, we strive to update this section often, it's best if you check the company's website for the latest and up to date bonus terms and conditions (they change it quite often, with every new bonus, it's possible we have missed something, or it's no longer up to date). Terms and conditions of every bonus and promotion:
- Players from the following countries do not qualify for any bonuses: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time.
- Only real money players, who completed the registration are eligible for a bonus.
- No deposit bonuses hold a maximum cash out limit which is 5x the bonus amount unless otherwise specified.
Playthrough requirement:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 60 times before withdrawal, unless otherwise stated.
Wagering requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (a.k.a. Pokies) | 100% |
| All types of Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat and other table games and non-pokies games | 0% |
Mr Bit Casino and Sportsbook
Mr. Bit casino & bookmaker, current 2023 bonus offers, welcome bonus, free spins and offers for returning players, 18+
- 100% welcome bonus Up To €500 + 50 Free Spins
- Free spins every day for returning players
- 33% reload bonus for returning players
You can read the full review of Mr Bit casino here.
USA, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Italy and UK players are not accepted (+ 13 other countries). Full list of banned countries can be found below.
Playthrough requirements, wagering limitations, terms and conditions and list of restricted countries
General bonus terms and conditions at Mr. Bit and its sister sites:
- welcome bonuses are only available for 30 days after account creation
- the minimum deposit to receive any bonus is €10
- the bonus + deposit needs to be wagered within 7 days from date of activation
Playthrough requirement of the welcome bonus: 27x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 27 times before withdrawal. Playthrough requirement of the free spins: 30x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal.
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus:
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
- Maximum bonus amount: €500
- Wagering requirements: x27 (deposit + bonus)
In case of the free spins:
- Participating slots: Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx
- Bet per spin: €0,10
- Wagering requirements: x30 (bonus)
- Limit on withdrawing from the free spins: x10
- 7 days for wagering
Wagering limitation:
- 7 days for wagering
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
- Please note that the free spins will appear on the account, once the 150% bonus has been wagered. Your players will get 10 free spins per day over the course of 5 days (50 free spins in total).
UPDATE COVID-19: The online casino does not use the global pandemic situation for advertisement purposes, or to encourage the usage of its online gambling platform. In fact, it's forbidden to use the namesake, name, likeness and official logo or any depiction of the casino/company (and this casino gambling blog) in conjunction with any marketing campaign, which uses the novel coronavirus pandemic for promotion.
Mr Bit Casino does not accept players from:
Bingo in Réunion
Bingo halls in Réunion: legal, operators require a licence
Online bingo in Réunion: legal since 2009, monopoly of FDJ (Française des Jeux)
Bingo is legal in Réunion.
According to French gambling laws bingo is considered a casino game. Therefore, it can only be played in licensed casino gambling venues.
The only exceptions to this are: traditional French bingo (poules au gibier) played at fairs and bingo for charitable purposes.
Online bingo is legal as well, since 2009.
However, unlike brick & mortar bingo, the online version is strictly a monopoly of the FDJ (Française des Jeux).
The FDJ (privatized since 2019) takes advantage of this monopoly and conducts bingo games online (12 different types of bingo are available on the platforms of the FDJ, with the brand name: liveBINGO).
This is the only legal option for Reunionese residents to play bingo online.
The following bingo websites accept players from Réunion.
The following bingo websites have live bingo and accept players from Réunion.
It is a monopoly of Française des Jeux.
Poker on the Reunion Island
Poker halls in Réunion: legal since 1907, operators require a licence
Online poker in Reunion: legal since 2010, operators require a licence
Poker is legal in Réunion since 1907.
Unlike in most other countries there are specific poker laws, which means not all of the casino gambling regulations and restrictions apply to game.
It is possible to operate standalone poker clubs (with a gaming club licence, there are many in France, none in the Reunion Island) the game is not restricted to the licensed casinos, unlike in most other countries.
All of the Reunionese casinos have poker tables (but only the biggest one has a poker room for non-banking poker).
Online poker is also legal.
Only poker networks with a licence from the French L’Autorité nationale des Jeux (ANJ) can accept players from Réunion.
Initially the French poker laws did not allow for the sharing of player pools between countries (player pooling). This meant that French players were only allowed to play poker online against other poker players from France or the French territories.
UPDATE However, an amendment to the French Gambling Act has resolve this situation and French players can join the global pool while playing on licensed digital poker platforms*.
The following licensed international online poker sites accept players from Réunion.
The following online casino websites have poker and accept players from Réunion:
We can’t recommend any.
Very few internet poker platforms have acquired a licence form the ANJ (the online gambling tax rate in France is extremely high, very few internet poker networks are willing to put up with such extortionate rates).
The online poker networks we known and love did not acquire a French online poker licence. Therefore, we can not make any recommendations at this time.
Keep in mind that using unlicensed poker websites is officially illegal.
*Source: High Stakes DB – France Looks Into Increasing Player Liquidity To Increase Online Revenues
Sports betting in Réunion
Bookmakers, betting shops in Réunion: legal since 1907, monopoly of FDJ and PMU since 1933
Online sports betting in Réunion: legal, operators require a licence
Sports betting is legal in Réunion since 1907, and it is the monopoly of the FDJ and the PMU since 1930.
Private sports betting companies can not operate betting shops and bookmaker licences are not issued.
The sports wagering sector is the monopoly of the now privatized FDJ (Française des Jeux).
And the horse racing betting segment remains the monopoly of the still state-owned PMU (Pari Mutuel Urbain).
Online sports betting is also legal, since 2010.
However, it is not a monopoly of the FDJ and PMU.
Online sportsbook licenses are issued to private bookmakers in France, which are valid in the French territories as well.
However, as discussed above, this is contested in court, and digital sportsbooks licensed in other EU countries still accept punters from France and the Réunion Island due to various EEA laws.
Bettors from France and the French territories can freely place bets on these platforms, they are not prosecuted for it.
/Comment: It is actually not illegal according to various interpretations of the laws of the European Economic Area, although, sadly, most EEA members usually ignore these laws if they contravene the local laws./
The licensed international sports betting websites below accept registrations from Réunion.
The following online sportsbooks accept bettors from Réunion:
Mr Bit Casino and Sportsbook
Mr. Bit casino & bookmaker, current 2023 bonus offers, welcome bonus, free spins and offers for returning players, 18+
- 100% welcome bonus Up To €500 + 50 Free Spins
- Free spins every day for returning players
- 33% reload bonus for returning players
You can read the full review of Mr Bit casino here.
USA, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Italy and UK players are not accepted (+ 13 other countries). Full list of banned countries can be found below.
Playthrough requirements, wagering limitations, terms and conditions and list of restricted countries
General bonus terms and conditions at Mr. Bit and its sister sites:
- welcome bonuses are only available for 30 days after account creation
- the minimum deposit to receive any bonus is €10
- the bonus + deposit needs to be wagered within 7 days from date of activation
Playthrough requirement of the welcome bonus: 27x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 27 times before withdrawal. Playthrough requirement of the free spins: 30x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal.
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus:
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
- Maximum bonus amount: €500
- Wagering requirements: x27 (deposit + bonus)
In case of the free spins:
- Participating slots: Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx
- Bet per spin: €0,10
- Wagering requirements: x30 (bonus)
- Limit on withdrawing from the free spins: x10
- 7 days for wagering
Wagering limitation:
- 7 days for wagering
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
- Please note that the free spins will appear on the account, once the 150% bonus has been wagered. Your players will get 10 free spins per day over the course of 5 days (50 free spins in total).
UPDATE COVID-19: The online casino does not use the global pandemic situation for advertisement purposes, or to encourage the usage of its online gambling platform. In fact, it's forbidden to use the namesake, name, likeness and official logo or any depiction of the casino/company (and this casino gambling blog) in conjunction with any marketing campaign, which uses the novel coronavirus pandemic for promotion.
Mr Bit Casino does not accept players from:
Lottery in Réunion
Lottery in the Réunion Island: legal since 1933, monopoly of FDJ
Online lottery in La Réunion: legal since 2009, monopoly of FDJ
Lottery is legal in Réunion.
It is a monopoly of FDJ (Française des Jeux), which is in part owned by the French government (minority ownership), but it operates as a private company since 2019, uniquely among the big European lotteries.
/Comment: In Europe lottery monopolies are usually state-owned and often state-operated companies in special, privileged positions, much to chagrin of the proponents of liberalization and free market. It is a strongly politically-charged topic in the EU./
The FDJ’s monopoly on lottery and lottery-like games extends to the French territories as well.
Online lottery is also legal since 2009.
It is similarly a monopoly of the FDJ.
Apart from the FDJ the following websites allow people from the country to purchase lottery tickets online.
The following internet lottery sites allow players from Réunion to purchase lottery tickets online:
It is a monopoly of the FDJ, everything else is illegal.
Bitcoin gambling in Réunion
Cryptocurrency wagering in Réunion: technically illegal, players are not prosecuted
Cryptocurrencies are legal in France and in the French territories.
France’s Financial Markets Authority, the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) accepted the Pacte Bill in 2019 making it possible to create bitcoin trading and exchange companies in France*. This de facto legalized and legitimized bitcoin in France.
However, bitcoin gambling is illegal** due to concerns regarding money-laundering, fraud and terrorism financing.
According to the National Gaming Authority (ANJ):
“The use of cryptocurrencies is forbidden on the websites of authorized operators who are obligated to combat fraud, money laundering, and terrorism financing”
In short: none of the France licensed gambling companies can accept cryptocurrencies either offline or online.
Many of the big bitcoin, litecoin and ethereum casinos are blocked in France (but not in the French territories). However, players who place bets on these offshore crypto gambling platforms are not prosecuted, only the companies operating these websites are targeted by the authorities.
Additionally, as is the case with all other forms of online gambling, this is contested in courts and gambling companies licensed in other EU jurisdictions still accept players from France and they also allow these French players to use virtual currencies as well while the lawsuits are still ongoing. This is not settled issue and significant changes are expected regarding the legality of crypto betting in the coming years.
This is why the bitcoin casinos below accept players from Réunion.
The following online casino websites accept bitcoin, litecoin and ethereum, and accept players from Réunion:
Fair Go Aussie Themed Casino
FairGo - click to check out the digital casino, latest promotions, offers, hundreds of pokies, Aussie players welcome
- 100% welcome bonus up to $200, on your first 5 deposits (total $500), coupon code: WELCOME
- 100 free spins with code: DOD-GOW (limited time only, please let me know when the code expires)
- 150% bonus and 50 spins on the new slot Lil Red ($20 minimum deposit requirement), coupon code: LILRED150, or on the slot Hyperwins, bonus code: GETHYPED
- Special Neosurf bonus, deposit using Neosurf and get a 200% welcome bonus (only once per player), promo code: 200-NEO
Only one bonus can be active at a time. North American players are accepted at the casino. FairGo Casino does not accept players from: Moldova, Israel, UK. You can read the full review of Fair Go casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
All bonuses, free spins, and other promotional offer are subject to the following wagering limitations and playthrough requirements. Although, we strive to update this section often, it's best if you check the company's website for the latest and up to date bonus terms and conditions (they change it quite often, with every new bonus, it's possible we have missed something, or it's no longer up to date). Terms and conditions of every bonus and promotion:
- Players from the following countries do not qualify for any bonuses: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time.
- Only real money players, who completed the registration are eligible for a bonus.
- No deposit bonuses hold a maximum cash out limit which is 5x the bonus amount unless otherwise specified.
Playthrough requirement:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 60 times before withdrawal, unless otherwise stated.
Wagering requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (a.k.a. Pokies) | 100% |
| All types of Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat and other table games and non-pokies games | 0% |
Mr Bit Casino and Sportsbook
Mr. Bit casino & bookmaker, current 2023 bonus offers, welcome bonus, free spins and offers for returning players, 18+
- 100% welcome bonus Up To €500 + 50 Free Spins
- Free spins every day for returning players
- 33% reload bonus for returning players
You can read the full review of Mr Bit casino here.
USA, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Italy and UK players are not accepted (+ 13 other countries). Full list of banned countries can be found below.
Playthrough requirements, wagering limitations, terms and conditions and list of restricted countries
General bonus terms and conditions at Mr. Bit and its sister sites:
- welcome bonuses are only available for 30 days after account creation
- the minimum deposit to receive any bonus is €10
- the bonus + deposit needs to be wagered within 7 days from date of activation
Playthrough requirement of the welcome bonus: 27x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 27 times before withdrawal. Playthrough requirement of the free spins: 30x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal.
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus:
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
- Maximum bonus amount: €500
- Wagering requirements: x27 (deposit + bonus)
In case of the free spins:
- Participating slots: Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx
- Bet per spin: €0,10
- Wagering requirements: x30 (bonus)
- Limit on withdrawing from the free spins: x10
- 7 days for wagering
Wagering limitation:
- 7 days for wagering
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
- Please note that the free spins will appear on the account, once the 150% bonus has been wagered. Your players will get 10 free spins per day over the course of 5 days (50 free spins in total).
UPDATE COVID-19: The online casino does not use the global pandemic situation for advertisement purposes, or to encourage the usage of its online gambling platform. In fact, it's forbidden to use the namesake, name, likeness and official logo or any depiction of the casino/company (and this casino gambling blog) in conjunction with any marketing campaign, which uses the novel coronavirus pandemic for promotion.
Mr Bit Casino does not accept players from:
If you have questions, or any feedback, don’t hesitate to drop a comment below. Please let me know in the comments section if you think we might have gotten something wrong, or if you have additional information, clarification, about the legal status of online gambling in this country. Especially if you are from Réunion or nearby.
FAQ – frequently asked questions about Réunion internet gambling platforms
FAQ section The following are some of the frequently asked questions about gambling in Réunion. Click on the dropdown menu below to see the questions and answers. Q&A
Yes, gambling is legal in Réunion since 1907, according to the French gambling laws which apply to all French territories.
Yes, online gambling is legal in Réunion since 2009, according to the French gambling legislation, which applies to Réunion as well.
Yes, online bingo is legal in Réunion, it is a monopoly of the FDJ, the French lottery monopoly.
Yes, online poker is legal in Réunion.
Yes, online sports betting is legal in Réunion since 2010. It is a monopoly of FDJ (Française des Jeux) and horse racing betting is monopoly of PMU (Pari Mutuel Urbain).
Yes, online lottery is legal in Réunion since 2009. It is a monopoly of the FDJ (Française des Jeux).
Cryptocurrencies themselves are legal in all of the French territories. However, cryptocurrency wagering itself is illegal.
Yes, you can play online from Réunion on France licensed online gambling websites, which have an internet gambling licence from the L'Autorité nationale des Jeux (ANJ). You can see a list of such platforms on this page.
Yes, you can play bingo over the internet from Réunion. You can see a list of digital bingo platforms, which accept players from the country at the Réunion bingo section above.
Yes, you can play poker over the internet from Réunion, on licensed poker networks or apps. You can see a list of them on this page.
Yes, you can place bets on sports from Réunion with the digital bookmakers mentioned on this page.
Yes, you can buy lottery tickets online in Réunion on the lottery platforms listed on this page.
No, officially, using bitcoin gambling websites is illegal for Reunionese residents.
Yes, some international online gambling websites accept players from the country. You can see a list of these licensed internet wagering sites on this webpage.
You can use any of the mobile gambling apps listed on this webpage.
Online bingo is a monopoly of the French FDJ.
The digital poker networks listed on this webpage accept players from Réunion, you can see them above this FAQ, at the Réunion online poker section.
The digital bookmakers and wagering websites listed above this questions and answers section accept punters from Réunion (the list can be found at the the Réunion internet sports betting section).
It is a monopoly of the French lottery company FDJ.
Online gambling licences are not issued in Réunion. Only the Republic of France, namely the L'Autorité nationale des Jeux issues digital wagering licences, which are valid for all of the French overseas territories (but they are not automatically accepted at the French collectivities). The digital platforms listed on this page all have a licence from the ANJ or form other EU countries (sites licensed in other EU countries can also accept Reunionese players for various legal reasons).
Bitcoin gambling is officially illegal in Réunion and in the other French overseas territories. Is gambling legal in Réunion?
Is online gambling legal in Réunion?
Is online bingo legal in Réunion?
Is online poker legal in Réunion?
Is online sports betting legal in Réunion?
Is online lottery legal in Réunion?
Is bitcoin wagering legal in Réunion?
Can you play online from Réunion?
Can you play bingo over the internet in Réunion?
Can you play poker online from Réunion?
Can you bet on sports online from Réunion?
Can you purchase lottery tickets online in Réunion?
Can you use bitcoin wagering websites in Réunion?
Are there gambling websites, which accept players from Réunion?
Which internet gambling apps can I use from Réunion?
Which online bingo sites accept players from Réunion?
Which online poker websites accept players from Réunion?
Which online sportsbooks accept bettors from Réunion?
Which online lotteries accept registrations from Réunion?
Which internet gambling platforms have a Réunion license?
Which crypto gambling platforms accept players from Réunion?
This page is part of Simon’s List – Legal Status of Online Gambling – a definitive guide to the legal status of all forms of online gambling activities in every country around the world.
Last updated: 2021-09-22
Gamble responsibly,
SimonTheSorcerer
Last Updated on 2022-09-22 by Simon
 That's me, Simon, thank you for visiting. I'm an independent gambling blogger since 2012. In this sector dominated by huge media companies, casino operators and online marketing networks, who can easily spend $ millions on their online gambling blogs, it's not easy for an independent nobody like me to survive. It took me about 6 years, working my ass off, to even have a chance to be noticed by visitors like you. I'm lucky enough that for a few years now, I make enough money to be able to do this full time (before that, I had part-time jobs, ghost writing gigs, online marketing this and that). Now I can finally do this full time, thanks to visitors like you! And it means a lot! If you are interested, please bookmark this site (no social media profiles, I no longer have any, but please feel free to share anything on any social media networks, if you still use them). I don't have any money to advertise, and if you have a personal blog, any social media profile, please mention my gambling blog and link back to it. This the only way for a small website like this to grow. Thank you! |
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