Haiti Casinos

Gambling in Haiti

Haiti is a country in the Caribbean situated on the same island as the Dominican Republic. An earthquake in 2010 struck the island of Hispaniola in 2010 and although many of Haiti's historic landmarks remain standing, the country's economy was devastated and has not recovered some seven years later. The event destroyed most of the contemporary buildings in the capital city, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding areas.  As of 2017, Haiti remains the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. More than 60% of the population lives below the poverty level, and at least 50,000 people are still living in tent cities.

Investment in Haiti is stifled due to the difficulty of doing business in a slow economy hampered by poor infrastructure, including basics like electricity and water works. Although the neighboring Dominican Republic faces its own economic challenges, the country enjoys a more robust infrastructure, lucrative gold mining operations, and a more profitable export trade. The service sector has been growing in the Dominican Republic with about two-thirds of all tourist receipts attributable to US travelers.

Casinos in Haiti

Most of the legal casinos in Haiti closed immediately after the earthquake, but at least one venue doubled-down and invested in their facilities. The El Rancho Hotel & Casino refurbished and expanded their casino offering and enjoy good business with upgraded amenities at the hotel which was also renovated in 2013.

El Rancho Casino offers 100 gaming machines and 13 gaming tables. Electronic gaming includes slots, video poker, and electronic roulette, while blackjack, craps, and roulette round out the casino floor offering. The casino opened in the 1980s under American management and was taken over by a Haitian group in 1992. The same group still manages the casino.

The other casino operating in Haiti is the Four Aces in Port-au-Prince. The casino is located in the  Sunrise Supermarket building on the second floor and seems to have opened in early 2014. The casino offers slot machines and video poker along with poker tournaments, a money wheel, blackjack, and roulette. There are also video lottery terminals on display.

Other Gambling in Haiti

Although there is no government regulation of gambling in Haiti, authorities have contracted with La Lotto Internationale S.A Lotto (LISA) to provide lottery services consisting of draw games like Bolet, Boloto, Lotto 3, Lotto 4, and Lotto 5. The LISA website lists 59 retail outlets. Anyone 18 or over can play the games either through an agent or online.