Online gambling regulation by country
For each market we track: whether online casino, sports betting, online poker and lottery are licensed, reserved for a state operator or prohibited, which authority regulates them and under which law. Every entry links to its sources and shows the date it was last reviewed.
Status describes what private operators may offer to players located in that market. Click a market for its regulator, key rules, self-exclusion scheme and recent changes. To compare markets at a glance, see the openness index , the gambling tax rates by country and licence costs.
| Market | Online casino | Sports betting | Online poker | Lottery | Regulator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALAlbania | Prohibited | Licensing pending | Prohibited | Restricted | Ministry of Finance |
| ARArgentina | State or provincial | State or provincial | State or provincial | State or provincial | Provincial regulators, for example Lotería de la Ciudad (LOTBA) in Buenos Aires City |
| AMArmenia | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Restricted | Ministry of Economy |
| AUAustralia | Prohibited | Licensed | Prohibited | Licensed | Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) |
| ATAustria | State monopoly | Licensed | State monopoly | State monopoly | Federal Ministry of Finance |
| BHBahrain | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | None: gambling is prohibited |
| BDBangladesh | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Restricted | None: gambling is prohibited |
| BYBelarus | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Restricted | Ministry of Taxes and Duties |
| BEBelgium | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Belgian Gaming Commission |
| BRBrazil | Licensed | Licensed | Restricted | Restricted | Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas (SPA), Ministry of Finance |
| BGBulgaria | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | National Revenue Agency (NRA) |
| KHCambodia | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Restricted | Commercial Gambling Management Commission of Cambodia |
| CACanada | State or provincial | State or provincial | State or provincial | State or provincial | Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario |
| CLChile | Licensing pending | Licensing pending | Licensing pending | State monopoly | Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego (SCJ) |
| CNChina | Prohibited | State monopoly | Prohibited | State monopoly | China Welfare Lottery and China Sports Lottery (state) |
| COColombia | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Restricted | Coljuegos |
| HRCroatia | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Ministry of Finance |
| CWCuraçao | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Restricted | Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) |
| CYCyprus | Prohibited | Licensed | Prohibited | State monopoly | National Betting Authority |
| CZCzechia | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Ministry of Finance |
| DKDenmark | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Spillemyndigheden (Danish Gambling Authority) |
| EEEstonia | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Estonian Tax and Customs Board (EMTA) |
| FIFinland | Licensing pending | Licensing pending | Licensing pending | State monopoly | National Police Board (until 30 June 2027), then the Finnish Supervisory Agency |
| FRFrance | Prohibited | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ) |
| GEGeorgia | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Revenue Service (Ministry of Finance) |
| DEGermany | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) |
| GHGhana | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Gaming Commission of Ghana |
| GIGibraltar | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner (HM Government of Gibraltar) |
| GRGreece | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) |
| HKHong Kong | Prohibited | State monopoly | Prohibited | State monopoly | Hong Kong Jockey Club (authorised operator) |
| HUHungary | Restricted | State monopoly | Restricted | State monopoly | Supervisory Authority of Regulated Activities (SZTFH) |
| INIndia | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Restricted | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) |
| IDIndonesia | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (enforcement) |
| IEIreland | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) |
| IMIsle of Man | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Restricted | Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) |
| ILIsrael | Prohibited | State monopoly | Prohibited | State monopoly | Israel Sports Betting Board; Mifal HaPais (national lottery) |
| ITItaly | State concessions | State concessions | State concessions | State concessions | Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) |
| JPJapan | Prohibited | State monopoly | Prohibited | State monopoly | Public bodies for horse, bicycle, boat and motor racing; national sports lottery |
| KZKazakhstan | Prohibited | Licensed | Prohibited | State monopoly | Ministry of Tourism and Sports (gambling licensing) |
| KEKenya | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Gambling Regulatory Authority (replacing the Betting Control and Licensing Board) |
| KWKuwait | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | None: gambling is prohibited |
| LVLatvia | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection (IAUI) |
| LTLithuania | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Gaming Control Authority |
| MOMacau | Prohibited | State monopoly | Prohibited | State monopoly | Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) |
| MYMalaysia | Prohibited | Restricted | Prohibited | Restricted | Ministry of Finance |
| MTMalta | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) |
| MXMexico | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Secretaría de Gobernación (SEGOB), Dirección General de Juegos y Sorteos |
| MDMoldova | State monopoly | State monopoly | State monopoly | State monopoly | Ministry of Finance (state monopoly: Loteria Națională a Moldovei) |
| NLNetherlands | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) |
| NZNew Zealand | Licensing pending | State monopoly | Licensing pending | State monopoly | Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) |
| NGNigeria | State or provincial | State or provincial | State or provincial | State or provincial | State regulators, for example the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA) |
| NONorway | State monopoly | State monopoly | State monopoly | State monopoly | Lotteritilsynet (Norwegian Gaming Authority) |
| OMOman | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | None: gambling is prohibited |
| PKPakistan | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | None: gambling is prohibited |
| PAPanama | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Junta de Control de Juegos (JCJ) |
| PEPeru | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Restricted | Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR) |
| PHPhilippines | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) |
| PLPoland | State monopoly | Licensed | State monopoly | State monopoly | Ministry of Finance |
| PTPortugal | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ) |
| PRPuerto Rico | Prohibited | Licensed | Prohibited | State monopoly | Puerto Rico Gaming Commission |
| QAQatar | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | None: gambling is prohibited |
| RORomania | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | National Gambling Office (ONJN), with supervision moving to the tax agency ANAF |
| RURussia | Prohibited | Licensed | Prohibited | State monopoly | Ministry of Finance and Federal Tax Service |
| SASaudi Arabia | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | None: gambling is prohibited |
| RSSerbia | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Games of Chance Administration (Ministry of Finance) |
| SGSingapore | Prohibited | State monopoly | Prohibited | State monopoly | Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) |
| SKSlovakia | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Gambling Regulatory Authority (ÚRHH) |
| ZASouth Africa | Prohibited | Licensed | Prohibited | State monopoly | National Gambling Board and provincial gambling boards |
| KRSouth Korea | Prohibited | State monopoly | Prohibited | State monopoly | State-run operators (sports toto, lottery, racing) |
| ESSpain | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) |
| SESweden | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Restricted | Spelinspektionen (Swedish Gambling Authority) |
| CHSwitzerland | Licensed | State monopoly | Licensed | State monopoly | Federal Gaming Board (ESBK) |
| TWTaiwan | Prohibited | State monopoly | Prohibited | State monopoly | Ministry of Finance (public welfare and sports lotteries) |
| TZTanzania | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Gaming Board of Tanzania |
| THThailand | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | State monopoly | Government Lottery Office |
| TRTürkiye | Prohibited | State monopoly | Prohibited | State monopoly | State operators only (sports betting, national lottery, horse racing) |
| UGUganda | Licensed | Licensed | Restricted | Licensed | National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) |
| UAUkraine | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State Agency PlayCity |
| AEUnited Arab Emirates | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Licensed | General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) |
| GBUnited Kingdom | Licensed | Licensed | Licensed | State monopoly | Gambling Commission |
| USUnited States | State or provincial | State or provincial | State or provincial | State or provincial | State regulators (for example New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement) |
| UZUzbekistan | Restricted | Licensed | Restricted | Licensed | National Agency for Prospective Projects (NAPP) |
| VNVietnam | Prohibited | Restricted | Prohibited | State monopoly | Ministry of Finance |
| ZMZambia | Restricted | Licensed | Restricted | Restricted | Betting Control and Licensing Board (Ministry of Finance) |
What the statuses mean
- Licensed Private operators can apply for a licence.
- State concessions Operators need a concession from the state, usually awarded in a tender.
- State monopoly The law reserves this product for a state or state-appointed operator.
- Prohibited Offering this product to people in the country is illegal.
- Licensing pending A licensing system has been adopted but is not open yet.
- State or provincial Licences are granted by states or provinces, so the answer depends on where the player is.
- Restricted Allowed only in narrow forms or through a few authorised operators.
Regulatory timeline
Recent and upcoming dates that change who may offer what, and where. Future dates come first.
- FIFinland's licensed online betting and casino market opens
- GBUK remote betting duty of 25% is due
- IEIrish land-based operators move to GRAI licences
- NZNew Zealand's licensed online casino market is expected to open
- CAAlberta's regulated iGaming market launches
- IEFirst remote betting licences under Ireland's new Act take effect
- NZNew Zealand's Online Casino Gambling Act comes into force
- INIndia's online gaming rules take effect
- GBUK remote gaming duty rises to 40%
- FIFinland opens licence applications
- USMaine authorises online casino games for its tribes
- USMissouri launches online sports betting
- ITItaly's new nine-year online concessions take effect
- JPJapan's ban on advertising and linking to online casinos takes effect
- UAPlayCity replaces KRAIL as Ukraine's gambling regulator
- NONorway starts DNS blocking of unlicensed gambling sites
- BRBrazil's licensed betting and online games market opens
How to read the tracker
- Licensed means a private company can obtain a licence. It does not mean every company can serve the market: most regimes require local licences, local domains and local responsible gambling rules.
- State monopoly and state concessions mean the product is reserved for the state or for a small number of concession holders.
- State or provincial applies to federations such as the United States, Canada, Argentina and Nigeria, where the answer depends on where the player is.
- Licensing pending means a law has been adopted but licensed operation has not started, as in Finland and New Zealand.
We correct errors quickly. If you see something out of date, tell us and include the source. Our editorial standards explain how we check facts. See also the directory of regulators and the glossary.
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