Mauritius casino union demands job guarantees
The CEU has proposed early retirement for employees over 50, job-security guarantees and redeployment options as uncertainty surrounds the proposed sale.
Key takeaways:
- Mauritius’ Casino Employees Union has proposed three measures to protect around 600 workers amid plans to privatise the casino business.
- The proposals include voluntary early retirement for employees over 50, job guarantees after a takeover and redeployment to companies linked to SIC.
- The tender closed on August 17 2026 and attracted six bids, with PwC appointed as transaction adviser to evaluate the offers.
- The casinos recorded losses of Rs272m (US$5.8m) in the financial year ended June 2025 and a further Rs121m (US$2.6m) between July and December 2025.
- The union says discussions with SIC have reached a standstill, while the latest status of the tender evaluation remains unconfirmed in the reports reviewed.
Mauritius.- Mauritius’ Casino Employees Union (CEU) is pressing for employment protections as the government advances plans to privatise its loss-making casino business, with around 600 workers awaiting clarity on their future. The union’s demands come amid reported delays in discussions with the State Investment Corporation (SIC) and uncertainty over the outcome of the sale process.
The proposed privatisation concerns four operational casinos: Le Grand Casino Du Domaine, Le Caudan Waterfront Casino, Casino De Maurice and Grand Baie Casino, according to the SIC.
The CEU presented three proposals at a general assembly on October 21, as employees continued to seek clarity about the proposed sale and its implications for their jobs.
CEU president Jayen Moorghen said 21 days had passed without further clarification following an earlier meeting at which management reportedly informed union representatives that six bidders had expressed interest in acquiring the casinos, according to Top FM.
The union is seeking a voluntary early-retirement scheme for employees aged over 50 who wish to participate, guarantees that existing staff will retain their jobs following a takeover, and a mechanism to redeploy workers to companies managed by or partly owned by SIC.
The CEU circulated a form presenting three options to allow employees to express their preferences regarding their professional future. Discussions between the union and SIC had reached a standstill, according to Radio One. Union negotiator Sharvin Sunassee said employees were awaiting official, detailed information about the sale. He also said no early-retirement plan had been proposed. The union did not rule out industrial action.
The CEU has criticised what it describes as decades of political interference and politically influenced appointments at the casinos. The union argues that these factors contributed to the casinos’ financial and operational difficulties. These allegations represent the union’s assessment and were not independently verified in the reports reviewed.
In a statement reported by Libération, the CEU said: “Workers should not be called upon to pay the price for political interference and management errors accumulated over the years.”
The proposed privatisation follows sustained losses at the state-linked casinos. The casinos recorded losses of Rs272m (approximately US$5.8m) in the financial year ended June 2025 and a further Rs121m (approximately US$2.6m) between July and December 2025. SIC injected around Rs1.3bn (approximately US$27.7m) into casino operations between 2015 and 2025.
The international tender, which closed on August 17, 2026, attracted six bids – five from international investors and one from a Mauritian operator. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) had been appointed as transaction adviser to evaluate the offers. The evaluation was expected to conclude by September 30, but no public announcement identifying a preferred bidder was found in the reports reviewed.
SIC is the government’s investment arm and holds stakes in the casino companies. The proposed sale follows the government’s position that continued public funding of the loss-making business is not sustainable.
The union’s proposals remain demands rather than confirmed commitments by the government, SIC or any prospective buyer. The CEU is seeking clarity on the future of employees as the privatisation process progresses.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- What protections is Mauritius’ casino union seeking? The CEU has proposed voluntary early retirement for employees over 50, job-security guarantees following a takeover and redeployment to companies managed by or partly owned by SIC.
- How many employees could be affected by the casino privatisation? Around 600 employees are affected by the proposed sale and uncertainty over their employment future.
- Why does Mauritius want to privatise its casinos? The proposed sale follows sustained financial losses at the state-linked casinos and concerns about continued public funding of the business.
- Has Mauritius selected a buyer for its casinos? Six bids were submitted, but the reports reviewed did not confirm whether a preferred bidder had been selected after the evaluation was expected to conclude by September 30, 2026.
