Legal and regulated gambling is one of the world’s most popular pastimes and is enjoyed in multiple countries around the globe. However, each country has its own gambling laws, and not every gambling activity is legal in every country. Some countries may permit all forms of gambling while others may outlaw everything but lotteries and bingo.
To make this page easier to navigate, we have categorized each country based on the region they are located in. These categories include:
- The US
- The UK
- Canada
- Europe
- Latin America
Is Gambling Legal in the US?
One would imagine that the United States has the widest selection of gambling options anywhere in the world, after all, Las Vegas, a place synonymous with gambling, is located in the US. But that is not the case.
In the US, each state is responsible for its own gambling activities, and therefore some activities legal in one state may not be legal in another. You’ll find a variety of legal online gambling options ranging from local bingo halls to online casino and poker, depending on where you live.
Here is an overview of the legal gambling options in different US states:
State | Sports Betting | Casino | Bingo | Lottery |
Alabama | No – horse race betting only | Yes – Land-based – Tribal Only | Yes | No |
Alaska | No – horse race betting only | No | Yes | No |
Arizona | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Land-based – Tribal Only | Yes | Yes |
Arkansas | Yes – Land-based only | Yes – Racetrack Casinos | Yes – Charitable only | Yes |
California | No – horse race betting only | Yes – Land-based – Tribal Only | Yes- Charitable only | Yes |
Colorado | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Land-based – Tribal Only | Yes | Yes |
Connecticut | Yes – Online and land-based – Tribal Only | Yes – Online and land-based – Tribal Only | Yes | Yes |
Delaware | Yes – Land-based only | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes | Yes |
Florida | Yes – Online and land-based – Tribal Only (coming soon) | Yes – Land-based – Tribal Only | Yes | Yes |
Georgia | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Hawaii | No | No | No | No |
Idaho | No | Yes – Land-based – Tribal Only | Yes | Yes |
Illinois | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Indiana | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Iowa | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Land-based only | Yes | Yes |
Kansas | No – horse race betting only | Yes – Land-based – Tribal Only | Yes | Yes |
Kentucky | No – horse race betting only | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Louisiana | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Land-based – Tribal Only | Yes | Yes |
Maine | No – horse race betting only | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Maryland | Yes – Online and land-based – Coming soon | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Massachusetts | No – horse race betting only | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Michigan | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes | Yes |
Minnesota | No – horse race betting only | Yes – Land-based – Tribal Only | Yes | Yes |
Mississippi | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | No |
Missouri | No | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Montana | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Land-based – Tribal Only | Yes | Yes |
Nebraska | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Nevada | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | |
New Hampshire | Yes – Online and land-based | No – Poker rooms only | Yes | Yes |
New Jersey | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes | Yes |
New Mexico | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes | Yes |
New York | Yes – land-based | Yes – land-based | Yes | Yes |
North Carolina | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes | Yes |
North Dakota | No | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes | Yes |
Ohio | No | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Oklahoma | No | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes | Yes |
Oregon | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes | |
Pennsylvania | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes | Yes |
Rhode Island | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
South Carolina | No | No | Yes | Yes |
South Dakota | Yes – land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Tennessee | Yes – Online only | No | Yes | Yes |
Texas | No | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes | Yes |
Utah | No | No | No | No |
Vermont | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Virginia | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Washington | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes | Yes |
West Virginia | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes | Yes |
Wisconsin | No | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes | Yes |
Wyoming | Yes – Online only | Yes – Land-based – Tribal only | Yes | Yes |
Is Gambling Legal in the UK?
The United Kingdom is one of the most open gambling markets in the world and allows citizens to legally partake in several types of gambling including online casino, sports betting, and bingo.
Here is an overview of the legal gambling options available in the countries that make up the UK.
Country | Sports betting | Casino | Bingo | Lottery |
England | Yes – Online and retail | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Online and land-based |
Northern Ireland | Yes – Online and retail | No | Yes | Yes |
Scotland | Yes – Online and retail | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Online and land-based | Yes – Online and land-based |
Wales | Yes – Online and retail | Yes – Online and retail | Yes – Online and retail | Yes – Online and retail |
Is Gambling Legal in Canada?
Each Canadian province is free to regulate gambling activities at the provincial level. Most of the legal gambling options are run by provincial lottery operators and tribal groups. In 2021, Canada legalized single-event sports wagering and the market is currently in the process of opening up to online commercial operators.
Below is a list of legal gambling options in Canada.
Province | Sports betting | Casino | Bingo | Lottery |
Alberta | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
British Columbia | Yes | Yes – Land-based and state-run online site | Yes | Yes |
Manitoba | Yes | Yes – Land-based and state-run online site | Yes | Yes |
New Brunswick | Yes | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Newfoundland and Labrador | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Northwest Territories | Yes | No laws explicitly prohibiting, but there are no casinos in the region | Yes | Yes |
Nova Scotia | Yes | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Nunavut | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Ontario | Yes | Yes – Land-based – Online coming soon | Yes | Yes |
Prince Edward Island | Yes | No – However, there is one operational racino | Yes | Yes |
Quebec | Yes | Yes – Land-based – Online coming soon | Yes | Yes |
Saskatchewan | Tes | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Yukon | Yes | Partly – Law permits “temporary gaming establishments” | Yes | Yes |
Is Gambling Legal in Europe?
Every European country has its own rules when it comes to what forms of gambling are legal. Some countries outlaw all forms of gambling, while others are completely open with fully regulated online and land-based industries.
Here is a breakdown of the legal gambling options in Europe:
Country | Sports betting | Casino | Bingo | Lottery |
Albania | No | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Andorra | Yes – Land-based only | Yes – Online and Land-based. But there are no land-based casinos | Yes | Yes |
Armenia | Yes – Online | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Austria | Yes – Online | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Azerbaijan | Yes – Online | No | Yes | Yes |
Belarus | Yes – Online | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Belgium | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Bulgaria | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Croatia | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Cyprus | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Czech Republic | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Denmark | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Estonia | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Finland | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
France | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Germany | Yes – Online | No | Yes | Yes |
Greece | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Hungary | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Iceland | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Ireland | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Italy | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Kazakhstan | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Kosovo | No | No | No | No |
Latvia | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Liechtenstein | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Malta | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Moldova | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Monaco | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Montenegro | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Netherlands | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
North Macedonia | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Norway | Yes – State-run operation | Yes – State-run operation | Yes | Yes |
Poland | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Portugal | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Romania | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Russia | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Slovakia | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Slovenia | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Spain | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Sweden | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Switzerland | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Turkey | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Ukraine | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Is Gambling Legal in Latin America?
In recent years Latin American countries have moved to expand their gambling operations across online and land-based verticals. While some countries still outlaw all gambling activities, some countries in Latin America boast fully-fledged legal online gambling markets. Check out what is available in Latin America below.
Province | Sports betting | Casino | Bingo | Lottery |
Argentina | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Bolivia | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Brazil | No – Sports betting legislation coming soon | No | No | Yes |
Chile | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | No | Yes |
Colombia | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Costa Rica | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Cuba | No | No | No | No |
The Dominican Republic | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Ecuador | No | No | No | No |
El Salvador | Yes | Yes – Land-based | No | No |
Guatemala | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Honduras | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Mexico | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Nicaragua | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Panama | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Paraguay | Yes – Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Peru | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Puerto Rico | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Uruguay | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |
Venezuela | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes – Online and Land-based | Yes | Yes |