Planning a new project requires deep, thorough research, where the first question (and we insist on it) should be “where is online gambling legal?”
One of the first choices an online casino operator must make is where his target market will be.
What market to choose depends on many factors, among which are the operator’s level of experience, the size of the digital market and potential revenue growth, and the language and preferences of players, but the most important factor is regulation — the legality of the land-based and online gambling industry, and the licensing process in the jurisdiction.
Even though online gambling regulations across the globe change every year, Slotegrator constantly studies the topic and updates its audience about everything it might need to know about the current legal status of the chosen jurisdictions.
Brief overview of gambling legislation
Gambling is treated differently in different countries depending on cultural background, economy, legal system, and political situation. New regulating bodies appear, laws are passed and old ones change, and it’s important to follow the updates before you make decisions to avoid breaking the rules of a particular country. What we know at the moment is that:
There are 79 regulated markets, which issue licenses and establish regulations governing online casino gaming. Some of them also allow players to visit offshore sites, while some of them do not. Some examples of regulated markets include the UK, Sweden, Armenia
There are 46 unregulated markets — countries which neither prohibit online casino gaming nor issue licenses and establish regulations. Many of them allow players to visit offshore platforms.
There are 70 banned markets, where it is illegal to establish a gambling business. Again, some of them allow players to visit offshore platforms (or don’t bother prosecuting them if they do), and others punish players who are caught visiting foreign gambling sites.
Our experts prepared a list of countries where online gambling is legal today. To make it even more convenient and save you time, we sorted them by categories and continents. We’ve sorted them into three groups:
- Countries that regulate online gambling
- Countries that do not regulate online gambling
- Countries that prohibit online gambling
When we say that a country “regulates” online gambling, this means that the country in question has passed laws that make online gambling legal, and they issue licenses to online casino operators. In some of these countries, players may also visit sites based in foreign countries.
When we say that a country “does not regulate” online gambling, this means that the country in question does not have laws in place regarding online gambling. Technically, it is not illegal; it is simply unregulated.
When we say that a country “prohibits” gambling, this means that the country in question has passed a law or laws that make online gambling illegal in the country. In some of these countries, however, players are still free to visit online casino platforms based abroad; it’s just illegal to set up an online gambling enterprise within that country’s jurisdiction.
List of countries by the legal status of online gambling
Countries where online gambling is legal and regulated
In many countries around the world, there is an established board or organization with governmental authority that issues licenses and sets regulations. In these markets, it’s legal to offer gambling activities over the internet, provided the business doing so has a license and remains in compliance with its licensing conditions.
In some of these markets, players may only legally visit sites licensed by the local regulator. In some, players are free to visit both domestic and offshore platforms.
Africa: Angola, Chad, Mayotte, Comoros, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Reunion Island, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zimbabwe.
Asia: The Philippines (licensees may not accept locals), India, Georgia (land-based casino license required by law), Armenia.
Europe: Austria (state monopoly), Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia (land-based casino license required), Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland (state monopoly), France, Germany, Greece, Hungary (state monopoly), Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland (state monopoly), Romania, Spain, the UK, Gibraltar, Norway (state monopoly), Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland.
North America: Antigua and Barbuda, Virgin Islands (USA), Belize, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Aruba, Canada, Curacao, Dominica (licensees may not accept local players), Dominican Republic (licensees may not accept local players), Greenland, Nicaragua, Panama, the United States.
South America: Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Argentina, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Suriname, Venezuela,
Oceania: French Polynesia, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands.
To simplify your research and planning, Slotegrator created an interactive world map with regulations across the world that shows whether or not online and land-based gambling and sports betting are legal. You can find the map here, and if you have any questions or inquiries, please contact our sales department for a free consultation.
The United States of America has fragmented regulation and legal requirements that are established on a state, rather than federal, level. This means that in some states players can gamble freely, some states require a local gambling license for operating legally, and others don’t.
Please note that the laws in the United States of America may change or be amended. Consult with Slotegrator lawyers or local state authorities before making any final decision.
Countries where online gambling is unregulated
Countries in this category do not have an established licensing process or clear regulations for online gambling. However, at the same time, they have no law that explicitly outlaws online casino gaming.
Africa: Ethiopia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central, African Republic, Congo, Djibouti, DR Congo, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Côte d'Ivoire, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Sao Tome and Principe, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Asia: Mongolia.
Europe: Andorra, Faroe Islands, Kosovo.
North America: The Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Costa Rica, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint-Martin.
South America: Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Falkland Islands.
Oceania: Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Samoa, East Timor, Tonga.
These countries do not apply any legal requirements to casino sites. Online casino operators may be licensed in any jurisdiction and, in some countries, operate freely without one at all.
Countries where gambling is illegal
The third category is countries where gambling is strictly prohibited. In most of these countries, all forms of gambling, both online and offline, are banned. In many of them, players can face prosecution. However, in some of them, authorities choose not to enforce the law, meaning players can freely visit offshore platforms. In some of them, it’s even technically legal for players to do so.
Regardless of the government’s official position or enforcement measures, it’s a common practice for players to use VPNs, cryptocurrencies, and other means to visit offshore gambling platforms.
Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia,
Asia: Afghanistan,Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the UAE, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen
Europe: Albania, Cyprus, Iceland, Russian Federation
North America: Cuba, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands
South America: Chile, Ecuador, French Guiana, Uruguay, Trinidad and Tobago,
Oceania: Australia, Samoa, Tuvalu
How can Slotegrator help?
Every country has its own attitude towards gambling, online casinos, and sports betting depending on cultural and religious background, economy, tourism, and many other factors. Some jurisdictions find it beneficial for the state economy and players’ safety to regulate the iGaming industry and define laws and conditions for the casino business. Others don’t have the capacity to organize the sector.
It is always best to carry out detailed research before planning your operation. We suggest several informative sources from Slotegrator’s website to start with: Analytical articles and Video Academy.
Slotegrator academy has an Industry news section — a monthly column providing useful and relevant information about changes in the gambling industry. For more information about regulations in jurisdictions across the globe, please visit our interactive gambling regulations map.
The goal of this interactive map is to give a basic understanding of the regulatory background of each country — click on the map and see if land-based and online gambling and betting are allowed there. In addition, it will link you to relevant articles, where the regulation and market are described in more detail.
Slotegrator is not only a developer of gambling platforms and an aggregator of slots, table games, live games, lotteries, card games, and many other casino game types and sports from various providers, it also provides consulting services and helps to acquire gambling licenses. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you grow while saving time and money.
Online Gambling Legal FAQs
What countries have legal online gambling?
Comments
Hello! According to the laws of Guinea-Bissau, operating a betting business is completely legal. We will contact you soon to provide more information about how Slotegrator can assist you in starting your business.
Hello, thank you for reaching out. We would be happy to assist you with a consultation regarding the acquisition of a license. We have contacted you via email.
Hello Richard. We would be happy to assist you with obtaining a gambling license. Check your Email on further information.
Hello! Obtaining a gambling license in Malta can take some time, as the Malta Gaming Authority needs to conduct checks on your business's finances and management. The cost will vary depending on the type of license you wish to obtain. We have sent you an email with more detailed information.