Gambling laws by country: who licenses online casinos and the minimum age

Who licenses online casinos in each country – and how old do you have to be? No international law covers online gambling, and no international licence exists. Every jurisdiction has its own law, its own regulator and its own minimum age. This guide sets out gambling laws by country as the official sources stated them on 5 October 2026.

A typical case shows why this matters. A player reads a regulator's name in a casino's footer, but that regulator belongs to a country where the player does not live. The licence then says little about the rules where the player is. Check which country the regulator belongs to. See licensed online casinos for how licences differ by country. This guide gives general information and is not legal advice.

Why is there no single set of gambling laws by country?

The World Health Organization (WHO) states in its gambling fact sheet of 2 December 2024 that there is no global agreement on the regulation of online gambling. The Lancet Public Health Commission on gambling, published on 24 October 2024, found that gambling in some form is now permitted in more than 80% of countries worldwide. A count of countries with a regulated online casino market was not found in an official source (5 October 2026).

A licence belongs to a territory, not to the internet. Four examples show the link. A licence from Great Britain's Gambling Commission applies to Great Britain. Ontario's regulated market states: "19+. Must be physically located in Ontario to play." New Jersey describes its players as located within the state. Pennsylvania's regulator describes geolocation that blocks play from outside the state.

Labels such as "EU licence" or "global licence" do not describe any real licence. The useful question is whether operators need a local licence where you live. To confirm that a named operator holds the licence it claims, follow how to check an online casino licence in the regulator's register. This guide covers who licenses, under which law, and from what age.

Each row in the tables below was checked on the regulator's or legislature's own website where one was found, and the date of the check is shown. The row for Delaware, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Connecticut relies on the American Gaming Association (AGA), an industry trade body (see below Table A).

Jurisdictions that license online casinos for their own residents

Table A lists places where a national, state or provincial system licenses online casinos for people in that territory.

In the United States, online casinos are a matter for each state. The American Gaming Association (AGA), an industry trade body and not an official source, reports that overall iGaming revenue in the United States grew by 27.6% in 2025 to a record US$10.73 billion, with online casinos in seven states passing US$10 billion (State of the States 2026, 12 May 2026). According to the AGA, Maine has also authorised online casinos, in a law that took effect in January 2026.

In Germany, the GGL whitelist showed "last updated on 2 October 2026" when checked on 5 October 2026. The GGL page gives no total, so none is given here.

Licensing jurisdictions used by international operators

Table B lists jurisdictions whose licences are held mainly by operators that serve customers in other countries. Being in this table is not a rating. It only records who licenses and under which law.

A licence from one of these authorities places the operator under that authority's rules and supervision. It does not mean the operator also holds a licence where you live. The regulator named in the footer decides the route for a complaint, too. See where to complain about an online casino in each jurisdiction.

In Gibraltar, sections 55 to 77 of the Gambling Act 2025 were excluded from the commencement notice. For Alderney, only an advertising rule on persons under 18 was found.

Markets in transition: Ireland and New Zealand

Ireland's Gambling Regulation Act 2024 (No. 35 of 2024) created the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI). According to the GRAI, from 1 July 2026 only remote betting and betting intermediary licences are issued. Licences for games, which include online casino games, are expected throughout 2027 and 2028. These statements date from 4 October 2026. The GRAI gives the minimum age for gambling as 18.

New Zealand's Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 received assent on 28 April 2026 and took effect on 1 May 2026. The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) states that up to 15 online casinos will be successful at auction and gain the right to apply for a licence. It also states that existing online casinos may continue until 1 December 2026, and that it expects to start issuing licences from early 2027. A public register of licensed online casinos is planned. The result of the auction held on 29 September 2026 was not found, so no number of licences is given.

Australia and Brazil: where the law restricts what providers may offer

Both places below restrict what providers may offer. The descriptions state what the rules require of providers.

In Australia, section 15 of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 states that prohibited interactive gambling services must not be provided to customers in Australia. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) blocks websites that offer such services, among them online casinos, online slot machines and in-play online sports betting. Licensed wagering providers, which cover sports and racing bets, appear in the ACMA's Register of licensed interactive wagering services. As of the ACMA's July 2026 article, 1,774 gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked since November 2019. The ACMA's June 2026 article adds that more than 230 services have left the Australian market since enforcement began in 2017. The minimum age was not found in the federal source checked.

In Brazil, Medida Provisória nº 1.394, a provisional measure, was published on 25 September 2026. Its article 1 prohibits, in national territory, the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of fixed-odds betting lotteries (loterias de aposta de quota fixa). Under article 4, existing authorisations end 30 days after publication, and under article 7 operators must make their websites unavailable ten days after publication. Article 29 repeals a large part of Law 14.790/2023. The text counts these periods from publication, so no calendar dates are given here. A summary by Brazil's Federal Senate says the scope covers sports events and virtual or online games, including foreign operators.

According to Brazilian media reports of 29 September 2026, two actions against the measure (ADI 8024 and ADI 8027) were filed at the Supreme Federal Court. A court ruling and a vote in Congress were not found. A provisional measure needs Congress to approve it before it can apply permanently.

Table C summarises this section and the previous one.

What minimum gambling age can be confirmed?

Where the sources state an age, they give 18, 19 or 21, depending on the jurisdiction. The age is 18 in Great Britain, Ireland, Malta, Curaçao, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy, and in New Zealand from 1 December 2026. It is 19 in Ontario and British Columbia, and 21 in New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Kahnawà:ke applies the higher of 18 and the age in the player's home jurisdiction. In Great Britain, operators must verify a customer's name, address and date of birth before play, a rule in place since 7 May 2019.

For several places, the age was not found in an official source on 5 October 2026: Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, Alderney, Australia, Brazil, the other Canadian provinces, and four US states (Delaware, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Connecticut).

In practice, you must be 18 or over, or older if the law where you live sets a higher minimum age. A licence can also set a higher age in its conditions. In most of the jurisdictions in this guide the age is 18, but it is 19 in Ontario and 21 in New Jersey. Check the minimum age in your own jurisdiction.

What the tables leave out

Anjouan, in the Comoros, and Costa Rica are not in the tables, because no official source checked showed a gaming licensing regime for either. For what offshore licences do and do not cover, read what an offshore gambling licence covers and what it does not.

The tables have 24 rows, and some rows group several places, so they are not a count of countries or a full list. They also leave out taxes on winnings, betting limits and bonus rules.

Dates to watch

• 1 December 2026: existing online casinos in New Zealand may continue until this date, and sections 66 and 67 of the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 take effect.
• Early 2027: the DIA expects to start issuing New Zealand online casino licences.
• 2027 and 2028: Ireland's GRAI expects to open licensing for games.
• Brazil: the outcome for Medida Provisória nº 1.394 in Congress and the Supreme Federal Court is not yet known.
• Gibraltar: sections 55 to 77 of the Gambling Act 2025 are not yet in force, and no date was found.

The last check was on 5 October 2026, and the rows need revising after these dates.

Where to turn if gambling is causing harm

For a complaint about a licensed operator, the route depends on the regulator that issued the licence. For support, Gambling Therapy is a global online service from Gordon Moody that offers free practical advice and emotional support to anyone affected by gambling, wherever they live (gamblingtherapy.org). Its live support is by text, not by telephone.

Questions about gambling laws by country

Sources

Sources for gambling laws by country, accessed on 5 October 2026 unless dated.

• Gambling Act 2005 (legislation.gov.uk) (4 October 2026)
• Gambling Commission, gambling and young people (4 October 2026)
• iGaming Ontario, regulated igaming market
• Government of British Columbia, gambling in B.C.
• New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, internet gaming (4 October 2026)
• GGL, whitelist of permitted providers
• Malta, Gaming Act (Cap. 583) (4 October 2026)
• Gibraltar, Gambling Act 2025 commencement notice (4 October 2026)
• Alderney Gambling Control Commission, legislation
• Curaçao Gaming Authority, online gaming (4 October 2026)
• Ireland, Gambling Regulation Act 2024 (4 October 2026)
• GRAI, commencement of remote betting licences (4 October 2026)
• New Zealand, Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 (4 October 2026)
• Department of Internal Affairs, online gambling for players
• Australia, Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (4 October 2026)
• ACMA, blocked websites article of July 2026 (4 October 2026)
• Brazil, Medida Provisória nº 1.394
• Gambling Therapy (3 October 2026)