Legality

Legality Is playing online poker legal where you are? Are online casinos regulated? Consult the list below for the legal status of online gambling around the world.

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Antigua & Barbuda	Legalized	Jun 23, 2008	Interactive gaming (casino games and poker) and interactive wagering (sports betting) are legal and regulated on the islands of Antigua and Barbuda.
Australia	Partly Legalized	May 27, 2008	According to the Australian Interactive Gambling Act 2001, it is illegal to provide online gaming services to Australian citizens but it is not an offence to actually play poker or casino games online. Sports betting is legal with many government licensed providers in operation.
Austria	Partly Legalized	Apr 30, 2008	State monopoly, challenged and currently re-evaluated under European Union pressure.
Belize	Partly Legalized	Jun 24, 2008	Online gaming licenses may be issued to companies operating from Belize, in line with the Gaming Control Regulations of 2004. Sites licensed in Belize, however, are not permitted to accept wagers from Belize residents.
Bulgaria	Undetermined	May 01, 2008	In the process of legalizing and regulating online gambling in the country.
Canada	Undetermined	May 08, 2008	While online gambling is not yet legal in Canada, many Canadians play at websites located at jurisdictions other than Canada, and even at Kahnawake-based online casino sites, hosted by the Mohawk First Nations of Canada.
China	Banned	Apr 30, 2008	Online gambling is banned in China, as is casino gambling, save the mightily successful region of Macau, where there is talk that Internet gambling may be introduced next.
Costa Rica	Partly Legalized	May 12, 2008	It is against the law to accept bets on gambling games in Costa Rica, but the industry has designed ways around it. As for games, some are legal, some not, and the legal status of the rest is undetermined.
Cyprus	Legalized	Jun 23, 2008	Online lotteries, betting exchanges, casino gaming and sports betting are all legal in Cyprus. The government has proposed a stricter online gambling law that has yet to become law.
Denmark	Partly Legalized	Apr 30, 2008	State monopoly online gambling, reconsidered by danish government in light of European Union criticism.
Dominica	Legalized	Jul 01, 2008	Dominica offers licenses to online casinos and sportsbooks. There is no tax on profits or income of non-permanent residents. The company must maintain a physical presence in Dominica.
Dominican Republic	Partly Legalized	Jul 02, 2008	The Dominican Republic licenses online sportsbooks. No new license, however, has been granted to a sportsbook operating primarily from outside the Dominican Republic since 1996.
Finland	Legalized	May 11, 2008	Online gambling is popular in Finland, but the country is trying to curb the casino sites through such propositions as allowing gamblers to recoup their losses.
France	Partly Legalized	Apr 24, 2008	France has passed a law banning online gambling, save its state run monopoly. French High Court, however, has ruled noted that under the European Court of Justice (the Placanica case), countries cannot operate a government monopoly.
Germany	Undetermined	Nov 05, 2008	All 16 German state legislatures have voted to ban online gambling, which makes it illegal, only the case is challenged by the industry at the European Union Court.
Gibraltar	Legalized	May 01, 2008	Gibraltar has been a major online casino center for years, and maintains a steady position as such.
Hong Kong	Partly Legalized	Jun 29, 2008	Only the Hong Kong Jockey Club is authorized to offer betting on lotteries, horseracing and football online. Offshore providers are not permitted to offer online gambling services in Hong Kong.
India	Undetermined	Sep 15, 2008	There are no laws that address online gambling in India. There are casinos in Goa hotels, while gambling is prohibited elsewhere, but the status of its Internet form of gambling is not determined.
Ireland	Legalized	May 26, 2008	Online gambling is legal in Ireland. Gambling winnings in Ireland are tax-free.
Israel	Banned	May 01, 2008	Online gambling is banned in Israel, and its parliament has even considered censoring the Internet to prevent access to online casino sites.
Italy	Legalized	Sep 18, 2008	Online gambling has been legalised in Italy in September 2008, in stages, as the government attempts to limit the hours people play online and control the market generally speaking.
Jamaica	Legalized	Jun 30, 2008	All forms of gambling in Jamaica are regulated by the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC).
Japan	Banned	Apr 30, 2008	Today only horse and motor racing are legal to gamble on in Japan, while the Lottery, Pachinko, and Mahjong are classified as amusements, thus are legal. Casinos and online gambling are illegal in Japan.
Korea South	Banned	Jun 10, 2008	The law in South Korea makes it illegal for players to gamble online.
Liechtenstein	Partly Legalized	Jun 29, 2008	Only the government-controlled lottery, PlusLOTTO, is permitted to offer gambling services over the internet.
Macau	Undetermined	Jun 30, 2008	The Macau Jockey Club and the Sociedade de Loterias e Apostas Mutuas de Maceau are authorized to offer online sports betting. There is currently no regulatory framework for foreign providers wishing to operate remote services from Macau.
Malaysia	Banned	May 12, 2008	Though football sports betting is popular in Malaysia, online gambling is illegal.
Malta	Legalized	May 01, 2008	Malta is a central location for online casino companies.
Mauritius	Legalized	Jul 01, 2008	Mauritius has been offering licenses to online gaming operators based in the country since 1996.
Mexico	Legalized	May 11, 2008	Several online casinos operate in Mexico since 2002, when the government granted licenses for these gambling operations.
Netherlands	Partly Legalized	Apr 30, 2008	State monopoly under fire by European Union members for stifling free and fair competition.
New Zealand	Partly Legalized	Jun 10, 2008	TAB and the New Zealand Lotteries Commission are authorized to offer lottery products and sports betting over the internet. Other online gambling providers, however, are prohibited from entering the market although is not illegal for New Zealanders to gamble with offshore providers.
Norway	Partly Legalized	Jun 25, 2008	Online gambling is legal and regulated in Norway although the state has a monopoly over the industry through their online gambling provider, Norske Tipping.
Panama	Legalized	Jun 24, 2008	Panama began to regulate electronic games of chance and wagering activities in 2002. Internet gaming providers can essentially operate tax-free when accepting foreign wagers.
Philippines	Legalized	May 26, 2008	Few companies allowed to issue licenses to online casinos based in the Philippines.
Poland	Banned	Apr 24, 2008	Internet gambling is unregulated, but government officials announced that will change in the second half of 2008.
Portugal	Partly Legalized	Oct 28, 2008	Portugal runs a state-monopoly in the local online gambling market, banning external online gambling providers from catering to the Portuguese players. This is contested on the grounds of European fair trade laws.
Russian Federation	Undetermined	May 26, 2008	Online gambling is in the process of being banned in Russia. A law is expected to be passed in January 2009.
Seychelles	Legalized	Jul 01, 2008	Seychelles offers licenses to online gaming providers under the Interactive Gaming Act of 2003. Companies need not be based in the Seychelles but must have a company representative living on the island.
Singapore	Undetermined	Aug 14, 2008	Singapore laws strictly prohibit online gambling and the advertising or promotion of gambling venues.
South Africa	Legalized	Jul 27, 2008	The National Gambling Amendment Bill was approved by the President in July 2008 and caters for the legalization and regulation of the South African online gaming industry.
Spain	Legalized	May 04, 2008	Gambling online is legal in Spain, where regions have the liberty to set their own rules regarding the issue.
Swaziland	Partly Legalized	Jun 29, 2008	Swaziland-based sites are banned from accepting wagers from South African residents. Piggs Peak Casino, however, is authorized to offer online Rand gambling to Swaziland, South Africa, Namibia and Lesotho.
Sweden	Legalized	May 11, 2008	Online casino gambling is legal in Sweden, under European Union rules and regulations, but a ban on advertising is currently in place, though challenged.
Tanzania	Legalized	Jun 30, 2008	In December 1999 the Gaming Control Act was amended, legalizing online gambling in Tasmania and providing a licensing system for fixed-odds wagering, sports betting, simulated games and lotteries.
Thailand	Banned	May 04, 2008	Thailand forbids any sort of gambling on the Internet.
Turkey	Partly Legalized	May 26, 2008	A law was passed in 2007 outlawing online gambling in Turkey, although the partially state-owned sports betting company, IDDAA, remains unaffected.
UK	Legalized	Apr 24, 2008	Legalized and regulated under the Gambling Act 2005.
USA	Banned	Apr 24, 2008	Banned under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, Title VIII of the Safe Port Act, with exceptions of fantasy sports, online lotteries, and horse racing.
Vietnam	Undetermined	May 04, 2008	Currently, all forms of gambling save the state lottery are illegal in Vietnam, but the country is considering regulating an online gambling industry.

It is imperative that gambling on the web be legal where you are located. But to further make sure you gamble at a safe and fair casino site, consult our reviews of independent gambling authorities.

If the jurisdiction you are in does not allow legal online gambling, we recommend before all else that you follow the letter of the law. Right after you do so, take action! Join the fight for legal online gambling! Write your representative in parliament, challenge your state's law, and join Online Casino Reports.

Online Casino Reports is not a legal authority. The accuracy of the information provided above is not guaranteed. In no way should the information presented here be regarded as formal legal advice. For accurate and formal information considering the legal status of online gambling, consult the specific laws wherever you reside or at the jurisdiction in which you are playing.