Online Gambling Laws by Country: A Legal Status Guide for 2026

Full Legalization With Licensing

The state creates a licensing framework, issues permits to qualified operators, enforces consumer protections, and collects tax revenue. Players can legally access licensed sites. Operators must meet KYC, AML, responsible gambling, and financial stability requirements.

State Monopoly

Online gambling is legal, but only through state-owned or state-designated operators. Private competitors — especially foreign ones — are prohibited. This model generates state revenue while limiting market competition. Players have fewer choices but operate within a clear legal framework.

Prohibition or Gray Zone

Either gambling is explicitly illegal, or laws written before the internet era don't clearly address online play. In gray zones, players rarely face prosecution, but operators serving those markets may violate local laws. This creates an environment where sites are accessible but legally unprotected.

Is the activity itself legal in your location?

Check whether the specific product (casino, sports, poker) is permitted — not just 'gambling' in general.

Is the operator licensed by the relevant authority?

Verify in the regulator's public register. Most mature regulators provide searchable databases.

Is the specific product allowed?

Sports betting might be legal while online casino is not. France, Australia, and Poland all make this distinction.

Is the operator legally allowed to target your market?

A Malta license doesn't make a site legal everywhere. Check whether the operator holds the specific license for your country.

UKGC issues blocking orders. ISPs must block domains on the Commission's prohibited list. Updated regularly.

Banks and payment processors must block transactions to unlicensed operators. Visa, Mastercard, and UK bank transfers are all monitored. Credit card gambling banned entirely since April 2020.

ASA enforces strict rules. No celebrity endorsements popular with under-18s. No 'free bet' without clear T&C. Social media, TV, and streaming ads heavily regulated. Whistle-to-whistle ad ban on live sports.

Affiliates must only promote UKGC-licensed operators. ASA actively investigates affiliate sites for misleading claims. Affiliates need to display RG messaging and link to GamStop. Non-compliant affiliates face enforcement action through operators.

Game providers must hold UKGC B2B licenses to supply UK-facing operators. RTP must be displayed. Auto-play features restricted. Slot spin speed minimum 2.5 seconds.

GGL maintains a blocklist of unlicensed operators. ISPs are legally required to block access. Over 100 domains blocked as of 2025.

GGL issues payment blocking orders to German banks and PSPs. PayPal, Klarna, and credit card processors must reject transactions to unlicensed operators. IP-based geo-checks required.

Gambling advertising only permitted between 9 PM and 6 AM on TV/radio. Online ads must not target minors. Bonus advertising is severely restricted. No social media influencer campaigns.

Affiliates must only promote GGL-licensed operators. Comparison sites face scrutiny for promoting offshore brands. GGL has issued warnings to affiliate networks operating from Malta and Cyprus.

Online table games (roulette, blackjack) prohibited for private operators. Slots limited to €1 max stake, 5-second spin speed, no auto-play. €1,000/month deposit limit across all operators (central database). Providers must implement these limits at the platform level.

KSA maintains an active blocklist. ISPs must block unlicensed gambling domains. KSA regularly expands the list based on monitoring.

iDEAL (dominant Dutch payment method) blocks transactions to unlicensed operators. Banks cooperate with KSA enforcement. Crypto payments to gambling sites are monitored.

Untargeted gambling advertising banned since July 2023. No TV, radio, or outdoor ads. Online ads only to logged-in users 24+. Role model ban (no athletes, influencers). Affiliate marketing effectively restricted to SEO channels only.

Affiliates cannot use paid ads, display ads, or social media campaigns for Dutch traffic. Only organic search and direct content marketing remain viable. KSA fines operators whose affiliates violate advertising rules — making operators cut non-compliant affiliates.

Game providers must be approved by licensed operators. No specific B2B licensing requirement, but operators bear responsibility for content compliance.

ADM maintains one of Europe's most extensive blocklists. Thousands of domains blocked. ISPs and DNS providers must comply. VPN usage does not bypass operator-side geo-blocking requirements.

Italian banks, credit card processors, and e-wallets must block transactions to non-ADM-licensed operators. IBAN-level monitoring for suspicious gambling transactions.

Near-total gambling advertising ban (Dignity Decree, 2019). No TV, print, online, or stadium sponsorship. Only informational content about odds/events is permitted. Operators cannot sponsor sports teams.

Affiliate marketing is effectively impossible through traditional channels. No banner ads, no paid placements, no social campaigns. SEO-driven informational content is the only viable channel. Affiliates must work exclusively with ADM-licensed brands.

ADM can order domain seizures and redirect blocked domains to a government warning page. .it domains are particularly vulnerable.

DGOJ orders ISP blocks on unlicensed operators. Regularly updated blocklist. DNS-level and IP-level blocking enforced.

Spanish banks must block transactions to unlicensed gambling sites. Payment processors face fines for facilitating unlicensed gambling.

Royal Decree 958/2020: gambling ads only permitted 1 AM – 5 AM on TV/radio. No welcome bonus advertising. No celebrity endorsements. Online ads restricted to licensed operator websites only.

Affiliates cannot advertise bonuses or promotions. Content must comply with the same advertising restrictions as operators. DGOJ monitors affiliate sites and can issue blocking orders.

Game providers must be certified for the Spanish market. Specific RTP and responsible gambling requirements apply at the platform level.

ANJ orders ISP blocks on unlicensed operators. Online casino sites are systematically blocked since casino is not legal for private operators.

French banks block payments to unlicensed gambling operators. Particularly aggressive for online casino transactions since the product itself is illegal.

Gambling advertising permitted but regulated by ANJ. No targeting minors. Responsible gambling messages mandatory. Online casino advertising is prohibited entirely since the product is illegal.

Affiliates can promote licensed sports betting and poker operators. Casino affiliate content targeting French users is illegal and subject to blocking. SEO for casino keywords in French carries enforcement risk.

Online casino game providers cannot legally supply the French market. Sports betting and poker platforms must meet ANJ technical standards.

Sweden does not currently enforce ISP blocking, but the Gambling Authority has proposed legislation for DNS blocking of unlicensed operators. Expected to pass by 2027.

Payment blocking is under implementation. Banks and Swish (dominant Swedish payment app) are increasingly cooperating with regulators to block unlicensed transactions.

Strict advertising rules. No bonus marketing to existing customers. Welcome bonuses limited to one per operator per player. Moderate marketing restrictions with responsible gambling requirements. No 'too good to be true' claims.

Affiliates must only promote Spelinspektionen-licensed operators. Bonus comparisons are limited since bonus offers themselves are restricted. Affiliates must include responsible gambling messaging.

Game providers serving Swedish-licensed operators must meet technical certification requirements. Temporary play bans (Spelpaus) must be integrated at platform level.

No federal ISP blocking. Individual states do not typically enforce DNS-level blocks. However, regulated states require operators to implement geo-fencing that blocks users from non-legal states.

UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) requires financial institutions to block transactions related to unlicensed online gambling. Banks, credit card companies, and processors must identify and block prohibited transactions. Crypto remains a gray area.

State-by-state rules. Licensed operators can advertise in legal states. Google and Meta allow gambling ads only from state-licensed operators in permitted states. Offshore operators cannot run paid ads on any major US platform.

Affiliates can only promote state-licensed operators and must comply with state-specific advertising laws. Geo-targeting is mandatory — showing New Jersey ads to Texas users violates regulations. Major affiliate networks require state-level compliance documentation.

Game providers must be individually licensed in each state they operate. Testing labs must be approved per state. Geo-fencing accuracy requirements are strict — providers must block users within meters of state borders.

ACMA maintains and enforces a blocklist of offshore gambling sites. Over 1,000 websites blocked since 2020. ISPs must block DNS access. ACMA actively monitors and adds new sites.

ACMA issues financial disruption notices to payment processors. Visa, Mastercard, and Australian banks must block transactions to blacklisted operators. Crypto exchanges operating in Australia cooperate with ACMA.

Sports betting ads are legal but restricted — no ads during live sport until 2025 reform. Online casino advertising is illegal. Google blocks casino ads for Australian traffic. Social media platforms enforce geo-restrictions.

Casino affiliate sites targeting Australian users face ACMA blocking. Sports betting affiliates can operate but must comply with advertising codes. Promoting offshore casinos to Australians is the primary enforcement trigger for ACMA blocks.

ACMA can request .au domain suspension. International domains are blocked at DNS level. Repeated offenders face escalated enforcement including financial penalties for payment facilitators.

Since January 2025, ANATEL (telecom regulator) blocks unlicensed gambling domains. ISPs must comply with SPA blocking orders. Blocklist is growing as enforcement ramps up.

PIX (Brazil's instant payment system), credit cards, and bank transfers must be blocked to unlicensed operators. Central Bank of Brazil cooperates with SPA on enforcement. PIX is the dominant payment method for gambling.

Only licensed operators can advertise. Google, Meta, and Brazilian media platforms are required to verify operator licenses before accepting ads. Influencer marketing must comply with federal advertising standards.

Affiliates must promote only SPA-licensed operators. The market is new and enforcement is still developing, but the framework is clear — unlicensed promotion faces the same restrictions as unlicensed operation.

Game providers must supply only to licensed Brazilian operators. Operators must be Brazilian legal entities. Foreign providers need local partnerships or subsidiaries.

PlayCity (successor to KRAIL) maintains a blocklist of unlicensed gambling sites. ISPs must block access. The list is actively updated.

Ukrainian banks and payment systems must block transactions to unlicensed gambling operators. Enforcement has strengthened under the PlayCity regime.

Gambling advertising is regulated under Law No. 4116-IX. Restrictions on targeting minors, mandatory responsible gambling messaging, and time-based broadcasting limits apply.

Affiliates should promote only PlayCity-licensed operators. The regulatory framework for affiliate marketing is still maturing compared to Western European standards.

No specific B2B provider licensing yet. Providers operate through licensed operators. PlayCity is expected to introduce provider-level requirements as the market matures.

BTK (telecom authority) blocks gambling sites aggressively. Tens of thousands of domains blocked. VPN usage is also partially restricted. New domains are typically blocked within 24-48 hours of detection.

Turkish banks block all gambling transactions. International card processors must reject Turkish card transactions on gambling sites. Crypto exchanges in Turkey cooperate with authorities. Underground payment networks exist but carry criminal liability.

All gambling advertising is illegal. Google, Meta, and all platforms block gambling ads for Turkish traffic. Sponsorship of Turkish sports teams by gambling operators is prohibited.

Running affiliate gambling sites targeting Turkish users is illegal and carries criminal penalties. Turkish-language gambling content is actively monitored. Domain seizures and criminal referrals are common.

Turkish courts routinely order domain seizures. .tr domains are immediately suspended. International domains are blocked at DNS and IP level. Mirror site detection systems are in place.

Great Firewall blocks virtually all gambling websites. Deep packet inspection (DPI) detects and blocks VPN connections used for gambling. Mobile app stores remove gambling apps. Sophisticated DNS poisoning and IP blocking in place.

Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay, and all Chinese banks block gambling transactions. Cross-border payment monitoring specifically targets gambling-related transfers. Crypto exchanges are banned in China.

All gambling advertising is strictly illegal. Chinese social platforms (WeChat, Weibo, Douyin) automatically detect and remove gambling content. AI-based content filtering is in place.

Operating gambling affiliate content targeting Chinese users carries severe criminal penalties — including imprisonment. Chinese authorities have arrested operators and affiliates in cross-border operations with Philippines, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

.cn domains are immediately seized. Great Firewall proactively scans and blocks new gambling domains. Authorities pursue international cooperation for cross-border enforcement.

GRA (Gambling Regulatory Authority) issues blocking orders to ISPs. All unlicensed remote gambling services are blocked. Only Singapore Pools is licensed for remote gambling.

Singapore banks and payment processors must block transactions to unlicensed gambling operators. MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore) enforces financial restrictions.

Unlicensed gambling advertising is illegal. Singapore Pools can advertise within strict guidelines. No other operator can market gambling services to Singapore residents.

Affiliate marketing for gambling is effectively prohibited. Promoting any unlicensed gambling service to Singapore residents is illegal under the Remote Gambling Act. Enforcement includes fines up to SGD 500,000 and imprisonment up to 7 years.

Only GRA-approved providers can supply Singapore Pools. All other game provider activity targeting Singapore residents is illegal.

TRA (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority) blocks all gambling websites. Etisalat and du (main ISPs) enforce comprehensive blocking. VPN connections to gambling sites are monitored.

All UAE banks block gambling transactions. International card transactions to known gambling merchants are declined. Crypto exchanges operating in UAE comply with gambling restrictions.

All gambling advertising is prohibited. Penalties include fines and imprisonment. Social media platforms geo-block gambling content for UAE/Saudi/Qatar users.

Operating gambling affiliate sites from or targeting the UAE is a criminal offense. Content in Arabic targeting Gulf states carries the highest enforcement risk. Even hosting gambling content on servers within the UAE is prohibited.

Local domains are immediately seized. International domains are blocked at ISP level. Authorities cooperate with international registrars for domain takedowns.

Key Trend

Advertising restrictions are tightening across all regulated European markets. Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands have all implemented advertising bans or strict cooling-off periods since 2023.

Key Trend

The US state-by-state rollout continues to expand, with 30+ states offering legal sports betting. Brazil's regulated market launched in 2024 and is projected to become a top-5 global market by 2027.

Key Trend

Asia-Pacific presents a paradox: massive player populations with limited legal frameworks. India's skill-vs-chance distinction creates gray areas, while the Philippines serves as a licensing hub for operators targeting other Asian markets.

Key Trend

Africa is the world's fastest-growing gambling market by percentage, driven by mobile penetration and young demographics. Nigeria and Kenya lead with established frameworks, while South Africa's reform bill is expected to open online gambling by 2027.