Lottery tickets are legal to purchase in Seychelles under the Licences (Game of Chance) Regulations of 1994, which define lotteries as games of chance including bingo, aero bingo, treble chance, lotto, and scratch cards. These regulations authorize licensed holders to organize and conduct lottery games in accordance with their licence conditions. The Seychelles Licensing Authority (SLA) supervises lottery activities, ensuring compliance with regulations established over 30 years ago (1).
The National Assembly approved the Seychelles Gambling Act in December 2014 to modernize gambling legislation and meet international standards, though this act specifically excluded traditional bingo and lottery activities from its scope. According to Minister for Finance, Trade and Investment Pierre Laporte, lottery and betting games continue to be supervised by the SLA, with plans to establish a comprehensive legal framework in the future (2).
"The government had to review all the existing regulations related to the gambling activities but the new law will exclude such activities as bingo and lottery which are often related to fundraising."
Only companies incorporated in Seychelles, excluding overseas companies, are eligible to apply for game of chance licences for lottery operations. Licence applications must be accompanied by annual fees of R1,000,000 and a security deposit up to R1,000,000, ensuring operators can satisfy judgments and winnings obligations. Players' lottery winnings are exempt from all taxation, duties, or fees imposed under Seychelles law (1).
Source:
https://seylii.org/akn/sc/act/si/1994/60/eng@2017-07-05/source.pdf
https://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=244020
Last updated: 16-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
