Gambling Law Guides by Country, from Oceania to North America

Online Gambling Laws by Country

Online gambling laws by country differ in the texts they rely on, and within a single country the answer can depend on the activity, the channel and the level of government. Casino games, sports betting and lotteries can fall under separate texts, and a rule written for physical premises does not settle a question about a website.

The level of government matters as much as the country. A national text, a state law and a provincial licensing system can each cover part of the question, so a country-level summary is where research starts rather than the full answer for a given state or province.

Oceania

At federal level, gambling law in Australia regulates online gambling services through the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which does not provide a licence for online casino games.

The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 has commenced, and the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is putting in place the new online casino regulatory system set up by gambling law in New Zealand.

South Asia

Gambling law in Bangladesh is set by a law on the prevention of gambling, Act No. 98 of 2026, and none of the fifty sections of the Act provides for a licence: there is no licence for online casinos in Bangladesh.

At national level, gambling law in India addresses online gaming in the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, introduced in the Lok Sabha as Bill No. 110 of 2025; the bill does not provide a licence for online money games, and the authority it sets up is to recognise, categorise and register online games.

For gambling law in Pakistan, a note in the official Pakistan Code states that the federal Prevention of Gambling Act 1977 ceased to have effect except in the Islamabad Capital Territory.

East and Southeast Asia

Gambling law in Hong Kong is set by the Gambling Ordinance (Cap. 148), under which gambling is unlawful except where the Ordinance provides otherwise.

Under gambling law in Indonesia, online gambling content is covered by the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (Law No. 11 of 2008), as amended for the second time by Law No. 1 of 2024.

Gambling law in Malaysia is set by the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and the Betting Act 1953; the Minister of Finance may license a company registered in Malaysia, other than a foreign company, to organise gaming for specified games on specified premises, and the Act provides no licence for online casinos.

Under gambling law in the Philippines, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) regulates games of chance and issues licences to gaming operations within the Philippine territory.

Gambling law in Singapore is set by the Gambling Control Act 2022, whose section 18 prohibits conducting a betting operation, gaming or lottery unless the person holds a licence to provide a gambling service or falls within one of the other cases listed in that section.

Gambling law in Thailand is set by the Gambling Act B.E. 2478 (1935), under which the games in List B, such as betting on horse races, lotteries and raffles, are permitted only under a licence.

Gambling law in Vietnam makes illegal gambling a criminal offence under Article 321 of the Penal Code of 2015, as amended, and the article expressly mentions committing it over the internet, computer networks or electronic means.

Africa

Gambling law in Kenya is set by the Gambling Control Act, 2025, under which a person who wants to operate, sell or promote online gambling in Kenya must apply to the Authority for a licence: an online bookmakers licence, an online lottery licence or an online casino licence.

In a ruling on gambling law in Nigeria, the Supreme Court of Nigeria held that the National Assembly lacked the power to legislate on lottery and games of chance.

Gambling law in South Africa is set by the National Gambling Act 7 of 2004, and gambling licences are issued at provincial level.

Middle East

Gambling law in the United Arab Emirates governs commercial gaming through Federal Law by Decree No. (30) of 2022 on Regulating Commercial Gaming, and the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), a federal authority based in Abu Dhabi, has exclusive jurisdiction to regulate, license and supervise commercial gaming in the UAE.

Europe

Gambling law in Ireland is moving to a new licensing regime run by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), set up under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, which provides for a remote gaming licence authorising its holder to provide games by remote means.

Under gambling law in the United Kingdom, gambling in Great Britain is governed by the Gambling Act 2005, and section 33 makes providing facilities for gambling an offence unless the provider holds an operating licence that authorises the activity and follows its terms and conditions, or another exception in the Act applies.

North America

At federal level, gambling law in Canada governs gaming and betting through the Criminal Code, which makes keeping a common gaming house or betting house an offence.

Under gambling law in the United States, whether online gambling is lawful depends on the state: the federal law known as UIGEA (31 U.S.C. § 5362) defines unlawful internet gambling by reference to the federal or state law of the place where the bet is placed, received or made.

How to Choose a Country-Law Guide

Choose the guide for the country whose law you are researching, then read it against the activity and the channel in question. A useful legal answer names the territory it covers and separates online casino games, sports betting and lotteries where the law distinguishes them.

• Location: the country and, where relevant, the state or province.
• Activity: casino games, sports betting or lotteries.
• Channel: online gambling, physical premises or both.
• Authority: the body that applies the law and the territory it covers.
• Dates: when the cited law was passed and when it takes effect.

Licensing, a state monopoly and a prohibition are different arrangements. Under a licensing system, an authority grants licences for specified activities; a monopoly reserves an activity to a designated state-controlled body; a prohibition bars the activity within its defined scope.

Enforcement and Legislative Changes

A proposal to change gambling law is not the same as a measure in force. A consultation, an announcement or a bill describes a possible change; a law applies once it has been adopted and its commencement date has arrived, and transitional provisions can delay parts of it.

Enforcement is action under the rules, while reform changes the rules themselves. A report of website blocking should name the authority, the legal basis and the scope of the action, and whether a website is blocked or reachable is an enforcement fact, not a statement of the law.

Responsible Gambling

Responsible gambling measures address personal control and harm, not legal status. Spending and time limits are set before a session, with essential expenses kept outside the gambling budget, and a limit that is reached is a signal to stop rather than to raise it.

Self-exclusion restricts access to gambling for a chosen period, either with one operator or across the operators in a scheme. Check which accounts it covers, how long it lasts and what happens when it ends. Blocking software adds a barrier on a device, and its coverage depends on the product and its settings.

Recognising Gambling-Related Harm

Gambling-related harm shows in changes to spending, behaviour and routines, not only in the amount lost. Difficulty stopping deserves attention even without a large loss, and the effects can reach relationships and household finances.

• Loss of control: gambling for longer than intended or struggling to stop.
• Chasing losses: gambling again to recover money already lost.
• Unaffordable spending: using money meant for essentials, or borrowing to keep gambling.
• Effects on daily life: disrupted sleep, neglected responsibilities, secrecy or tension at home.

Pausing gambling makes room to talk to a trusted person, a doctor or a specialist gambling support service. Someone asking for help does not need a diagnosis first: describing what has changed is enough to start.

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