Is crypto gambling legal where you live?
Most crypto casinos are licensed offshore, often in Curaçao or Anjouan. That licence does not make them legal in your country. Here's a summary of the rules in key markets.
This is general information, last reviewed November 2026, and not legal advice. Laws change and vary by region. Check with your local regulator before you gamble online.
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
21+Licensed operators only
Gambling is legal only where licensed by the federal GCGRA, which licensed the first online casino and sports betting site (Play971) in late 2025. Players must be 21 or older and physically in the UAE, and offshore crypto casinos are not licensed.
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇦🇷 Argentina
18+Provincial rules
There is no national online gambling law; each province (and the City of Buenos Aires) licenses its own online operators, and a licence is only valid in that jurisdiction. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed by any Argentine province, so players there have no local regulator to complain to.
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇦🇹 Austria
18+State monopoly only
Online casino games may only be offered by the holder of the federal lottery concession, which runs win2day. A reform to open the market to licensed private operators has been proposed but is not yet in force. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Austria.
- Regulator
- Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF)
- Free help
- Spielsuchthilfe
🇦🇺 Australia
18+Online casino not permitted
Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 it is illegal to offer online casino games (including online slots and live casino) to people in Australia. ACMA blocks illegal offshore gambling sites, and players at those sites have no protection if they are not paid.
- Self-exclusion
- BetStop (wagering)
- Free help
- Gambling Help Online · 1800 858 858
🇧🇪 Belgium
21+Licensed operators only
Online gambling is legal only with operators licensed by the Belgian Gaming Commission, and since September 2024 the minimum age for almost all gambling is 21. The Commission keeps a blacklist of unlicensed sites, and offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Belgium.
- Self-exclusion
- EPIS
- Free help
- Gokhulp / Aide aux joueurs
🇧🇷 Brazil
18+Licensed operators only
Since January 2025, fixed-odds betting and online casino games are legal only with operators authorised by the SPA, using .bet.br domains. Licensed operators may not accept crypto payments, and unauthorised sites, including offshore crypto casinos, are blocked.
- Self-exclusion
- Plataforma Centralizada de Autoexclusão
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇨🇦 Canada
19+Provincial rules
Gambling is regulated by each province. Ontario licenses private operators through iGaming Ontario and the AGCO; most other provinces only permit their provincial lottery's site. The minimum age is 19 in most provinces (18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Québec).
- Free help
- ConnexOntario · 1-866-531-2600
🇨🇭 Switzerland
18+Licensed operators only
Online casino games may only be offered by Swiss land-based casinos holding an extended licence from the Federal Council. The ESBK publishes a blocklist of unauthorised sites, which internet providers must block, and offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Switzerland.
- Regulator
- Federal Gaming Board (ESBK / CFMJ)
- Free help
- SOS Spielsucht · 0800 040 080
🇨🇱 Chile
18+Online casino not permitted
Chile has no licensing system for online casinos, and in 2025 the Supreme Court confirmed that online gambling is illegal unless expressly authorised by law. A bill to regulate online gambling is still before Congress. Offshore crypto casinos have no Chilean licence.
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇨🇴 Colombia
18+Licensed operators only
Online casino games and betting are legal only with operators authorised by Coljuegos. The regulator orders internet providers to block unlicensed sites, and offshore crypto casinos without a Coljuegos authorisation are not legal in Colombia.
- Regulator
- Coljuegos
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
18+Licensed operators only
Online gambling is legal only with operators licensed by the Ministry of Finance, which also blocks unlicensed sites. Licensed operators must check players against the Register of Excluded Persons (RVO). Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in the Czech Republic.
- Free help
- Národní linka pro odvykání · 800 350 000
🇩🇪 Germany
18+Licensed operators only
Online slots and poker are allowed only at GGL-licensed sites, with strict rules including a cross-operator monthly deposit limit and a €1 maximum slot stake. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Germany.
- Self-exclusion
- OASIS
🇩🇰 Denmark
18+Licensed operators only
Online casino and betting are legal only with operators licensed by Spillemyndigheden. Unlicensed sites are blocked, and offshore crypto casinos are not covered by Danish player protections or the ROFUS self-exclusion register.
- Self-exclusion
- ROFUS
- Free help
- StopSpillet · 70 22 28 25
🇪🇪 Estonia
21+Licensed operators only
Online gambling is legal only with operators holding an Estonian licence, and the minimum age for casino games is 21. Licensed operators must respect the national gambling restriction register run by EMTA. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Estonia.
- Self-exclusion
- Gambling restriction register (EMTA)
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇪🇸 Spain
18+Licensed operators only
Online gambling is legal only with DGOJ-licensed operators using .es domains.
🇫🇮 Finland
18+State monopoly only
Veikkaus currently holds the exclusive right to offer online casino games in mainland Finland. A new Gambling Act will open online casino and betting to licensed operators from July 2027, with supervision moving to the Finnish Supervisory Agency. Until then, offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Finland.
- Free help
- Peluuri · 0800 100 101
🇫🇷 France
18+Online casino not permitted
Only online sports betting, horse-race betting and poker can be licensed. Online casino games such as slots and roulette are not legal to offer in France.
- Regulator
- Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ)
- Free help
- Joueurs Info Service · 09 74 75 13 13
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
18+Licensed operators only
Online gambling is legal only with operators licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. Offshore crypto casinos that are not UKGC-licensed are not permitted to offer gambling to people in Great Britain, and you get none of the UKGC's player protections, complaint routes or GAMSTOP self-exclusion there.
- Regulator
- UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)
- Self-exclusion
- GAMSTOP
🇬🇷 Greece
21+Licensed operators only
Online casino and betting are legal only with operators licensed by the Hellenic Gaming Commission, and the minimum age for casino games is 21. The Commission blocks thousands of unlicensed domains, and offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Greece.
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇭🇺 Hungary
18+Licensed operators only
Online casino games may only be offered by holders of a Hungarian land-based casino concession, so only a handful of licensed sites exist. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Hungary.
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇮🇪 Ireland
18+No specific regulation
Ireland is moving to a new licensing system under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. The GRAI began issuing remote betting licences in July 2026, but online casino (remote gaming) licences have not yet been issued and the National Gambling Exclusion Register is not yet live. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed by the GRAI.
🇮🇳 India
18+Online casino not permitted
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025, in force since 1 May 2026, bans online money games nationwide, including online casino games, poker and fantasy sports for money. Offering, advertising or processing payments for these games is prohibited, and offshore crypto casinos fall under the ban.
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇮🇹 Italy
18+Licensed operators only
Online gambling is legal only with ADM-licensed operators.
- Free help
- Telefono Verde Nazionale · 800 558 822
🇯🇵 Japan
20+Online casino not permitted
Online casino gambling is illegal in Japan, including for players, and police have arrested a record number of online casino users. Since September 2025 it is also illegal to advertise or steer people to online casinos. Offshore crypto casinos are not legal for people in Japan.
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇰🇷 South Korea
19+Online casino not permitted
Online casino gambling is illegal in South Korea, and police pursue players as well as operators. Only a few state-sanctioned forms of gambling are legal, and offshore crypto casinos are not among them.
- Free help
- Korea Center on Gambling Problems · 1336
🇱🇹 Lithuania
21+Licensed operators only
Online gambling is legal only with operators licensed in Lithuania, and the minimum age for gambling (other than the national lottery) is 21. The LPT publishes a list of illegal operators and can block their sites and payments. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Lithuania.
- Self-exclusion
- Nebenoriu lošti (LPT self-exclusion)
- Free help
- LPT gambler support · +370 609 66676
🇱🇻 Latvia
18+Licensed operators only
Online gambling is legal only with operators licensed in Latvia, and unlicensed sites are blocked. A proposal to raise the minimum gambling age to 21 is before parliament. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Latvia.
- Self-exclusion
- Self-exclusion register (IAUI)
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇲🇹 Malta
18+Licensed operators only
Online gambling offered from or in Malta must be licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, which also licenses many operators serving other countries. An MGA licence does not make a site legal in countries that require their own local licence.
- Regulator
- Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)
- Free help
- Responsible Gaming Foundation · 1777
🇲🇽 Mexico
18+Licensed operators only
Casino games and betting, including online, are legal only with a permit issued by SEGOB. The underlying law dates from 1947 and a reform is under discussion. Offshore crypto casinos without a SEGOB permit are not authorised in Mexico.
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇳🇱 Netherlands
18+Licensed operators only
Only KSA-licensed operators may offer online gambling. Unlicensed sites are actively fined. Players under 24 face stricter deposit limits at licensed sites.
- Regulator
- Kansspelautoriteit (KSA)
- Self-exclusion
- CRUKS
- Free help
- Loket Kansspel
🇳🇴 Norway
18+State monopoly only
Norsk Tipping is the only company allowed to offer online casino games in Norway. Lotteritilsynet orders DNS blocking of unlicensed gambling sites; visiting them is not an offence for players, but offshore crypto casinos are not legal operators in Norway.
- Free help
- Hjelpelinjen · 800 800 40
🇳🇿 New Zealand
18+Licensed operators only
The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 creates up to 15 licences for online casinos, with the regime being phased in through 2027. Once it is fully in place only licensed operators may offer online casino games to people in New Zealand, and offshore crypto casinos without a licence will not be permitted.
- Regulator
- Department of Internal Affairs (DIA)
- Free help
- Gambling Helpline · 0800 654 655
🇵🇪 Peru
18+Licensed operators only
Since February 2024, online casino and betting are legal only with operators authorised by MINCETUR. The ministry orders blocking of unlicensed sites and payments, and offshore crypto casinos without a Peruvian licence are not authorised.
- Free help
- Gambling Therapy
🇵🇭 Philippines
21+Licensed operators only
Online casino games are legal only on PAGCOR-licensed platforms, and players must be 21 or older. Proposals for tighter rules or an outright ban are being debated. Offshore crypto casinos without a PAGCOR licence are not authorised.
🇵🇱 Poland
18+State monopoly only
Online casino games may only be offered by the state operator Totalizator Sportowy (Total Casino); private companies can be licensed only for sports betting. The Ministry of Finance keeps a register of blocked gambling domains, and offshore crypto casinos are illegal in Poland, with fines possible for players.
- Regulator
- Ministry of Finance
🇵🇹 Portugal
18+Licensed operators only
Online gambling is legal only with operators licensed by SRIJ, using .pt sites. Self-exclusion through SRIJ covers all licensed sites but has no effect on unlicensed ones, and offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Portugal.
- Self-exclusion
- SRIJ self-exclusion
- Free help
- SOS Jogador / Linha 1414 (ICAD) · 1414
🇷🇴 Romania
18+Licensed operators only
Online gambling is legal only with operators licensed by ONJN, which keeps a blacklist of unlicensed sites. A bill to raise the minimum age to 21 is before parliament. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed in Romania.
- Free help
- Joc Responsabil · 0800 800 099
🇸🇪 Sweden
18+Licensed operators only
Only Spelinspektionen-licensed operators may offer gambling to Swedish residents.
- Regulator
- Spelinspektionen
- Self-exclusion
- Spelpaus
- Free help
- Stödlinjen · 020-81 91 00
🇸🇬 Singapore
21+Online casino not permitted
Remote gambling is illegal in Singapore except through a few exempt operators such as Singapore Pools, which do not offer online casino games. The GRA blocks unlicensed sites, and gambling with offshore crypto casinos is an offence.
- Regulator
- Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA)
- Self-exclusion
- NCPG self-exclusion
- Free help
- NCPG Helpline · 1800-6-668-668
🇹🇷 Turkey
18+Online casino not permitted
Casinos and online casino gambling are banned in Turkey; only state-run lottery and sports betting (such as İddaa) are legal. Illegal gambling sites are blocked and offshore crypto casinos are illegal, with penalties possible for players as well as operators.
- Free help
- Yeşilay Danışmanlık Merkezi (YEDAM) · 115
🇺🇸 United States
21+State by state
Online casino gambling is regulated state by state and is legal only in a small number of states (such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island), with a minimum age of 21 in most. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed by any US state; playing there may break state law and leaves you with no regulator to complain to.
🇿🇦 South Africa
18+Online casino not permitted
Online sports betting is legal with provincially licensed bookmakers, but online casino games are illegal under the National Gambling Act. A Remote Gambling Bill to regulate online casinos has not been passed, so offshore crypto casinos are not legal in South Africa.
What an offshore licence does — and doesn't — mean
A Curaçao or Anjouan licence lets a company operate from that jurisdiction. It doesn't give it permission to serve players in countries that require a local licence, and it gives you much weaker protection than a UKGC or MGA licence. If an offshore casino refuses to pay, your options are limited.
Many casinos also ban players from certain countries in their terms. If you play from a restricted country — even using a VPN — the casino can confiscate your winnings and close your account.
Questions people ask
Is it legal to use crypto casinos in the UK?
Only operators licensed by the UK Gambling Commission may offer gambling to people in Great Britain. Most crypto casinos are not UKGC-licensed and exclude UK players in their terms.
Are crypto casinos legal in the US?
Online casinos are legal only in a few states, and only through state-licensed operators — usually for ages 21+. Offshore crypto casinos are not licensed by any US state.
Can I use a VPN to access a crypto casino?
Using a VPN to get around country restrictions usually breaks the casino’s terms and may break local law. Casinos regularly confiscate winnings from VPN users. We do not recommend it.