Mali targets US$96.3m in sports-betting taxes for 2027

The draft budget forecasts an 8.8 per cent increase in sports-betting tax receipts and proposes expanding PMU-Mali’s betting network.

Key takeaways:

• Mali targets FCFA54.4bn (US$96.3m) in sports-betting tax revenue for 2027.
• The target represents an 8.8 per cent increase on the revised 2026 forecast of FCFA50bn (US$88.5m).
• The draft Finance Bill proposes integrating new gaming operators and expanding PMU-Mali’s Avant la Réunion betting network.
• PMU-Mali tax receipts are projected at FCFA25.47bn (US$45.1m), up 9.1 per cent from the revised 2026 budget.
• The figures are projected tax receipts, not total operator revenue or betting turnover.

Mali.- Mali’s draft 2027 budget targets FCFA54.4bn (US$96.3m) in tax revenue from sports-betting winnings, an 8.8 per cent increase on the revised 2026 forecast. The draft Finance Bill also proposes expanding PMU-Mali’s betting network, integrating new gaming operators and adding betting points for high-stakes customers. The targets and reforms remain subject to the legislative process.

Mali’s Council of Ministers adopted the draft Finance Bill on September 18, 2026. The National Transition Council opened its October session on October 5, with the proposed 2027 budget among the legislation scheduled for examination.

The revenue targets and planned PMU-Mali reforms remain subject to the legislative process. PMU-Mali is a state-linked gaming company operating in Mali’s betting market, including horse-racing and sports betting. Its activities form part of the country’s regulated gaming sector.

The revenue tables in Mali’s Draft Finance Bill for 2027 also project higher tax receipts under the PMU-Mali and casino lines. The PMU-Mali figure is forecast to reach FCFA25.47bn (US$45.1m), up 9.1 per cent from FCFA23.34bn (US$41.3m) in the revised 2026 budget. Tax receipts listed under casinos are projected to rise by approximately 9.1 per cent, from FCFA325.5m (US$576,000) to FCFA355.1m (US$629,000).

The draft (translated from French) states that commercial and incentive reforms at PMU-Mali will continue, including the integration of new gaming operators, expansion of the Avant la Réunion (ALR) betting network and the establishment of additional Pendant la Réunion (PLR) betting points for high-stakes bettors.

The PMU-Mali and casino figures are projected tax receipts, not total operator revenue or betting turnover. Mali’s overall budget revenue is forecast to increase by 14.64 per cent, from FCFA3.373tn (US$6.0bn) in the revised 2026 budget to FCFA3.867tn (US$6.8bn) in 2027. Government expenditure is projected at FCFA4.463tn (US$7.9bn), while the budget deficit is expected to fall to FCFA596.011bn (US$1.06bn), down 3.93 per cent from FCFA620.425bn in 2026.