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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Legality

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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.
Malaysia	Banned	May 12, 2008	Though football sports betting is popular in Malaysia, online gambling is illegal.
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.
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.
Mexico	Legalized	May 11, 2008	Several online casinos operate in Mexico since 2002, when the government granted licenses for these gambling operations.
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.
Spain	Legalized	May 04, 2008	Gambling online is legal in Spain, where regions have the liberty to set their own rules regarding the issue.
Thailand	Banned	May 04, 2008	Thailand forbids any sort of gambling on the Internet.
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.
Gibraltar	Legalized	May 01, 2008	Gibraltar has been a major online casino center for years, and maintains a steady position as such.
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.
Bulgaria	Undetermined	May 01, 2008	In the process of legalizing and regulating online gambling in the country.
Malta	Legalized	May 01, 2008	Malta is a central location for online casino companies.
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.
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.
Netherlands	Partly Legalized	Apr 30, 2008	State monopoly under fire by European Union members for stifling free and fair competition.
Austria	Partly Legalized	Apr 30, 2008	State monopoly, challenged and currently re-evaluated under European Union pressure.
Denmark	Partly Legalized	Apr 30, 2008	State monopoly online gambling, reconsidered by danish government in light of European Union criticism.
Poland	Banned	Apr 24, 2008	Internet gambling is unregulated, but government officials announced that will change in the second half of 2008.
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.
South Africa	Banned	Apr 24, 2008	Currently unregulated, the National Gambling Amendment Bill, an amendment to the National Gambling Act of 2004, will create a regulated framework if and when it passes.
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.
UK	Legalized	Apr 24, 2008	Legalized and regulated under the Gambling Act 2005.

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.