Gambling age

The gambling age is an aspect of gambling law — the minimum age at which one can legally gamble in a certain jurisdiction. In some countries, gambling is illegal regardless of age, while some countries have different age limits for different types of gambling, and some countries have no explicit minimum gambling age.

Minimum legal age to enter a casino by country (2023):

  Illegal at any age

  25 or older

  21 or older

  21 or 18 (depends on the casino)

  20

  19

  18

  13

  no regulation/no age set/no data

Oceania

Country	Age	Notes
Australia	18	The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 passed by the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia banned online gambling in the form of casinos and slots.
Federated States of Micronesia	Dependent on State law[1]	Chuuk and Yap – illegal[2][3]
Kiribati	18[4]
Marshall Islands	Illegal for all ages	Gambling is illegal except for non-profit bingo, raffles and cakewalks.[5]
Nauru	18[6]
New Zealand	20 (casinos)[7] 18 (horse racing and instant kiwi) None (other types, including lottery)[8]
Palau	18	Gambling is illegal in Palau except for social gambling, non-profit organisations, and offshore gambling.[9] The social gambling age is tied to the age of majority,[10] which is 18 under Palauan law.[11]
Papua New Guinea	None
Solomon Islands	18[12]	People below the age of 18 can gamble with parental permission in a private dwelling-house or in the presence of a parent.[12] For certain small lotteries, the minimum age to purchase a ticket is 16.[13]
Tokelau	Illegal for all ages	Gaming is illegal in Tokelau (defined as "a game for money with cards or with dice").[14]
Tuvalu	18[15]	People below the age of 18 can gamble with parental permission in a private dwelling-house or in the presence of a parent.[15] For certain small lotteries, one only needs to be 16 in order to buy a ticket.[16]
Vanuatu	18[17][18]	The given references only prevent people under the age of 18 from gambling online or in casinos.

Europe

Country/territory	Minimum age	Notes
Albania	18
Andorra	None
Austria	18[19]
Belarus	18
Belgium	21 (casinos) 18 (national lottery)
Bosnia and Herzegovina	18
Bulgaria	18
Croatia	18 (excluding non-casino machines and private)
Cyprus	18[20]
Czech Republic	18
Denmark	18 (except sports betting)[21]
Estonia	21 (casinos)[22] 18 (sports betting)16 (national lottery)
Faroe Islands	18
Finland	18
France	18	Lowered from 21 to 18 on May 5, 1987, for casinos.
Germany	18–21	Varies by state and the type of gambling, lotteries and casinos are generally rated above 18 except casinos in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Lower Saxony, which are rated above 21.[23]
Gibraltar	18[24]
Greece	21[25]
Georgia	25, or 18 for foreign citizens and stateless persons[26]
Guernsey	18
Hungary	18[27]
Iceland	18
Ireland	18
Isle of Man	18
Italy	18[28]
Kosovo	Illegal for all ages	Gambling was outlawed in 2019 due to a string of murders that occurred in casinos that year.
Latvia	18[29]
Liechtenstein	18
Lithuania	18[30]
Luxembourg	18[31]
Malta	18,[32] or 25 for Maltese citizens[33]
Moldova	18
Monaco	18[34]
Montenegro	18
Netherlands	18
Northern Cyprus	18
North Macedonia	18
Norway	18
Poland	18[35]
Portugal	25 (some casinos) 18 (some casinos, and all other types)[25]	Portugal has complicated gambling laws. It depends on each casino, and there are even some casinos which allow tourists from the age of 18, and local people from 25.
Romania	18
San Marino	18[36]
Serbia	18[37]
Slovakia	18[38]
Slovenia	18[39]
Spain	18[25]
Sweden	20 (casinos)[40] 18 (other types)[41]
Switzerland	18[42]
Turkey	Illegal for all ages (casinos) 18 (lotteries)	Gambling is illegal in Turkey except for lotteries and horse races.
Ukraine	18
UK (United Kingdom)	Age variable by bet: 18 16 None (See the table for more information)[43]	Gambling ages in the United Kingdom are set out in the Gambling Act 2005: Part 4, Protection of children and young persons. Type of gambling Minimum age Relevant sections of the Act Gambling in casinos or other licensed gambling premises It is illegal to permit any person under the age of 18 to enter a licensed gambling premises. The only exception is licensed family entertainment centres. 18 46, 47, 48 and 49 Gaming machine (Machine category: A, B1, B2, B3, B3A, B4, C) 18 47 and 48 Gaming machine (Machine category: D) None 46 (2)(e) and 48 (2)(e) National lottery 18 48 (2)(c) Scratchcards 18 48 (2)(c) Football pool 16 48 (2)(d) Private or non-commercial gaming and betting None 48 (2)(a)&(b) Equal chance gaming in accordance with a prize gaming permit, or Equal chance gaming at a licensed family entertainment centre None 48 (2)(f)&(g) Prize gaming at a non-licensed family entertainment centre, or Prize gaming at a travelling fair None 48 (2)(h)&(i)
Vatican City	None

Asia

Country/territory	Minimum age	Notes
Akrotiri and Dhekelia	18
Afghanistan	Illegal for all ages	All casinos and lotteries are forbidden.
Armenia	21[44]
Azerbaijan	18
Bahrain	Illegal for all ages
Bangladesh	None
British Indian Ocean Territory	18
Brunei Darussalam	Illegal for all ages
Cambodia	None
China	Illegal for all ages 18 (lotteries)	Gambling is illegal in China except for lotteries.
Christmas Island	18
Cocos (Keeling) Islands	18
Hong Kong	18
Iran	Illegal for all ages
India	21	According to Public Gambling Act 1867, gambling is considered as illegal in the majority of the regions across the country. Further information: Gambling in India
Indonesia	Illegal for all ages	All forms of gambling are illegal.[45][46]
Israel	18
Japan	20 18 (pachinko) [47]	Majority is lowered to 18, but gambling age still stays at 20 (for lotteries and casinos).
Jordan	Illegal for all ages
Kyrgyzstan	18
Laos	18[48]
Lebanon	21
Macau	21 18 (lottery, sports betting, racing)
Malaysia	21 Illegal for all ages (Muslims)	Resorts World Genting in Genting Highlands is the only casino in Malaysia as of 2022.
Maldives	Illegal for all ages
Mongolia	None
Myanmar	18
Pakistan	Illegal for all ages
Philippines	21 (casinos) 18 (lottery)
Qatar	Illegal for all ages
Russia	18
Saudi Arabia	Illegal for all ages
Singapore	21 (casinos) 18 (lottery, sports betting, racing)
South Korea	19
Sri Lanka	21 (lotteries)
Syria	Illegal for all ages[49]
Taiwan	20
Tajikistan	18
Thailand	Illegal for all ages (casinos) 20 (lottery)	Gambling is illegal in Thailand, except for the Government lottery.
Timor-Leste	18	Only the Government lottery and licensed slot machines are legal.[50]
Turkey	Illegal for all ages (casinos) 18 (lotteries)	Gambling is illegal in Turkey except for lotteries and horse races.
UAE	Illegal for all ages (casinos) 21 (lotteries)
Vietnam	21

Africa

Country/territory	Minimum age	Notes
Algeria	Illegal for all ages
Angola	18
Botswana	18
Burkina Faso	18
Cote d'Ivoire	21
Djibouti	18 (casinos) None (other types)
Egypt	21
Equatorial Guinea	None
Eritrea	Illegal for all ages None (online)
Ethiopia	Illegal for all ages None (online)
Gabon	None	There is no official gambling age; many erroneously believe it to be 18.
Ghana	18
Guinea	18
Guinea Bissau	None	There is no official gambling age; many erroneously believe it to be 18.
Libya	Illegal for all ages
Malawi	18 [51]
Mali	18
Mauritania	Illegal for all ages
Morocco	18
Mozambique	18
Namibia	21[52]
Niger	21 (some casinos) 18 (some other casinos, all other types)
Nigeria	18[53]
Rwanda	18
Senegal	18
Seychelles	18
Somalia	Illegal for all ages
South Africa	18[54]
South Sudan	None
Sudan	Illegal for all ages
Tanzania	18
Tunisia	None	Legal at any age: unsuccessful attempts have been made to declare gambling illegal outright or impose a minimum age.
Uganda	25

North America

Country/territory	Minimum age	Notes
Anguilla	None	Casinos do not exist in Anguilla as of 2023
Antigua and Barbuda	18
Bahamas	18
Barbados	18[55]
Belize	18
British Virgin Islands	Illegal for all ages
Canada	18–19 (varies by province)	Province Minimum age Notes Alberta 18 (casinos) 18 (lottery) British Columbia 19 (casinos) 19 (lottery) Manitoba 18 (casinos) 18 (lottery) New Brunswick 19 (casinos) 19 (lottery) Newfoundland and Labrador 19 (casinos) 19 (lottery) Nova Scotia 19 (casinos) 19 (lottery) Ontario 19 (casinos) 18 (lottery) Prince Edward Island 19 (casinos) 19 (lottery) Quebec 18 (casinos) 18 (lottery) Saskatchewan 19 (casinos) 18 (lottery)
Cayman Islands	18
Costa Rica	18
Cuba	Illegal for all ages
Dominica	18
Dominican Republic	18[citation needed]
El Salvador	18
Greenland	18
Guatemala	18
Haiti	18
Honduras	18
Jamaica	18
Mexico	18
Nicaragua	18
Panama	18
Puerto Rico	18[56]
Saint Kitts and Nevis	18
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	18
Saint Lucia	18
Turks and Caicos Islands	21
US Virgin Islands	21 (casinos) 18 (other)
United States	18, 19, 21 or illegal (varies by state)	State Minimum age Notes Alabama 19 Alaska 21 Arizona 21 Arkansas 21 California 21 or 18 (casinos)[57] 18 (Lottery)[58] Colorado 21 (casinos) 18 (lottery)[59] Connecticut 21 Delaware 21 (casinos) 18 (lottery)[60] District of Columbia 18 Florida 21 (casinos) 18 (lottery)[61] Georgia 18 Hawaii 21 Idaho 18 Illinois 21 Indiana 21 Iowa 21 Kansas 21 Kentucky 18 Louisiana 21 Maine 21 (casinos) 18 (lottery) Maryland 21 Massachusetts 21 (casinos) 18 (lottery) Michigan 18 Minnesota 18 Mississippi 21 Missouri 21 Montana 18 Nebraska 21 Nevada 21 New Hampshire 21 New Jersey 21 New Mexico 21 New York 18 North Carolina 21 North Dakota 19 Ohio 21 or 18 Oklahoma 18 Oregon 21 (casinos) 18 (other) Pennsylvania 21 Rhode Island 18 South Dakota 21 South Carolina 21 Tennessee 21 (sports betting) 18 (lottery) Texas 21 Utah Illegal for all ages[62] Vermont 21 Virginia 21 (casinos) 18 (other) Washington 18 West Virginia 21 Wisconsin 21 Wyoming 21

South America

Country/territory	Minimum age	Notes
Argentina	18
Aruba	18	This law is not often enforced.
Bolivia	18
Brazil	Illegal for all ages (casinos) 18 (lottery)	Gambling is illegal in Brazil, except for the Government lottery.
Chile	18
Colombia	18
Curacao	18
Ecuador	18
Falkland Islands	18
French Guiana	18
Guyana	18
Paraguay	18
Peru	18
Suriname	18
Trinidad and Tobago	18
Uruguay	18
Venezuela	18

Antarctica

Country/territory	Minimum age	Notes
Antarctica	Not applicable / Varying	See Crime in Antarctica
French Southern and Antarctic Lands	18
Heard and McDonald Islands	18
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	18