Five international investors and one Mauritian operator have submitted bids for Mauritius’ state casino holdings, as the government seeks to end years of losses and unions demand employment guarantees.
PwC is evaluating the proposals for the government’s investment arm, the State Investment Corporation (SIC), with its assessment expected to finish by 30 September. No buyer has been selected, according to L’Express, reporting on a 4 September meeting between SIC and union representatives.
PwC’s investment notice confirms that the divestment concerns SIC’s shareholdings in casino companies covering four operating casinos and two non-operating venues. The notice identifies the companies as holders of licences issued by Mauritius’ Gambling Regulatory Authority.
The operating businesses are Le Grand Casino du Domaine, Le Caudan Waterfront Casino, Casino de Maurice and Grand Baie Casino, managed through SIC Management Services.
SIC says these are the island’s only Casino A-licensed venues, authorised to offer live roulette alongside slot machines.
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam told parliament in May that the casinos lost Rs272m (US$5.8m) in the year to June 2025 and another Rs121m in the following six months. Losses reached Rs1.9bn over a decade, during which SIC injected Rs1.3bn to sustain operations.
The sale follows unsuccessful privatisation and restructuring efforts in 2019, 2021–22 and 2023. The latest process was publicly relaunched in May to attract private capital and management expertise.
Reeaz Chuttoo, negotiating for Grand Baie casino employees, told L’Express that unions wanted assurances that “whoever the buyer is, those interested can keep their jobs”.
Unions are seeking protection of seniority rights and the existing collective agreement, settlement of outstanding payments and compensation for employees who do not transfer to a new operator.
