Gambling age
{{short description|Legal criterion for gambling}}
File:Gambling Age - Global.svg
{{Youth rights sidebar}}
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.
Oceania
Europe
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Country/territory !Minimum age !class=unsortable|Notes |
| {{Flag|Albania}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Andorra}}
|None | |
| {{Flag|Austria}}
| |
| {{Flag|Belarus}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Belgium}}
|21 (casinos) | |
| {{Flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Bulgaria}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Croatia}} Croatia
|18 (excluding non-casino machines and private) | |
| {{Flag|Cyprus}}
| |
| {{Flag|Czech Republic}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Denmark}}
| |
| {{Flag|Estonia}}
|21 (casinos){{Cite web |title=Gambling Act–Riigi Teataja |url=https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/515012016007/consolide |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=www.riigiteataja.ee}} | |
| {{Flag|Faroe Islands}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Finland}} Finland
|18 |
| {{Flagicon|France}} France
|18 | Lowered from 21 to 18 on May 5, 1987, for casinos. |
| {{Flagicon|Germany}} Germany
|18–21 | Varies by state and the type of gambling, lotteries and casinos are generally rated above 18 except casinos in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, which are rated above 21.{{cite news |title=Spielhallen dürfen künftig erst ab 21 Jahren betreten werden (German) |url=https://www.welt.de/regionales/niedersachsen/article236499681/Spielhallen-duerfen-kuenftig-erst-ab-21-Jahren-betreten-werden.html |access-date=2023-05-26 |agency=Axel Springer |publisher=Welt |date=2021-01-26}} |
| {{Flag|Gibraltar}}
| |
| {{Flagicon|Greece}} Greece
| |
| {{Flag|Georgia}}
|25, or 18 for foreign citizens and stateless persons{{Cite web|url=https://1tv.ge/lang/en/news/georgia-tightens-gambling-business-regulations-from-march-1/|title=Georgia tightens gambling business regulations from March 1|website=1tv.ge|date=2021-12-22|access-date=2023-01-03}} | |
| {{Flag|Guernsey}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Hungary}}
| |
| {{Flag|Iceland}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Ireland}} Ireland
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Isle of Man}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Italy}} Italy
|18World Casinos Info, https://www.worldcasinos.info/italy. | |
| {{Flagicon|Kosovo}} Kosovo
|Illegal for all ages |Gambling was outlawed in 2019 due to a string of murders that occurred in casinos that year. |
| {{Flag|Latvia}}
| |
| {{Flag|Liechtenstein}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Lithuania}}
| |
| {{Flag|Luxembourg}}
| |
| {{Flag|Malta}}
|18,{{Cite web|url=https://signon.thomsonreuters.com/?productid=PLCUK&viewproductid=UKPL&lr=0&culture=en-US&returnto=https%3a%2f%2fuk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com%2fCosi%2fSignOn%3fredirectTo%3d%252f4-634-9916%253ftransitionType%253dDefault%2526contextData%253d(sc.Default)%2526firstPage%253dtrue%2526bhcp%253d1&tracetoken=0628190601240-NA0thzVVnAhBxsNzxCq7hV7rScTpp3rI1ptNJsOvvdTL8CC0pn8qjbQmCuMPSAeHa_A7iWW6zRxkrNzYRsXKj-Xz8hSCYJeMdbbEE7k4MKq7FrcTNklWAMrCnQTkHRK7uoOoAmxhtOFfky8hkBTo-gs-Xkd95m22NrEGO57nq_DkirxpP8lgkuqAz7l58NlE4xxFX8DAkjSrg8no-uyrIcpaW4zi3_U4jqYQLI5MFc4ZobI5WRD8o-EVZni6HiP6P5gX5CP1fE0RZoZz60An7g7kIDr59SFGfDOafRcEMemBvLS0-_KEfIhdf5WOTIMAcvsfrLis-6XUsOOqg1g2NZ21LMR2DsIbZEd0pVB_fs|title=Practical Law UK Signon|website=signon.thomsonreuters.com|access-date=2019-06-28}} or 25 for Maltese citizens{{Cite journal|last=Bonello|first=Emerson|date=2016|title=Rationale behind different age requirements to enter casinos in Malta and their compatibility with Article 45 of the Maltese Constitution|url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/17303|language=en}} | |
| {{Flag|Moldova}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Monaco}} Monaco
| |
| {{Flagicon|Montenegro}} Montenegro
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Netherlands}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Northern Cyprus}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|North Macedonia}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Norway}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Poland}} Poland
| |
| {{Flagicon|Portugal}} Portugal
|25 (some casinos) |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. |
| {{Flag|Romania}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|San Marino}} San Marino
| |
| {{Flagicon|Serbia}} Serbia
| |
| {{Flag|Slovakia}}
| |
| {{Flag|Slovenia}}
| |
| {{Flagicon|Spain}} Spain
| |
| {{Flag|Sweden}}
| |
| {{Flag|Switzerland}}
| |
| {{Flag|Turkey}}
|Illegal for all ages (casinos) |Gambling is illegal in Turkey except for lotteries and horse races. |
| {{Flag|Ukraine}}
|21 | |
| {{Flagicon|UK}} UK (United Kingdom)
|Age variable by bet: 18 (See the table for more information){{Cite web|url=https://www.begambleaware.org/understanding-gambling/how-is-gambling-regulated/|title=How Is Gambling Regulated? {{!}} BeGambleAware {{!}} BeGambleAware|website=www.begambleaware.org|access-date=2019-05-25}} |{{Gambling ages in the United Kingdom}} |
| {{Flag|Vatican City}}
|None | |
Asia
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Country/territory !Minimum age !class=unsortable|Notes |
| {{Flag|Akrotiri and Dhekelia}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Afghanistan}} Afghanistan
|Illegal for all ages |All casinos and lotteries are forbidden. |
| {{Flag|Armenia}}
| |
| {{Flag|Azerbaijan}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Bahrain}} Bahrain
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flag|Bangladesh}}
|None | |
| {{Flag|British Indian Ocean Territory}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Brunei Darussalam}}
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flag|Cambodia}}
|None | |
| {{Flag|China}}
|Illegal for all ages |Gambling is illegal in China except for lotteries. |
| {{Flag|Christmas Island}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Cocos (Keeling) Islands}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Hong Kong}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Iran}}
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flag|India}}
|21 |According to Public Gambling Act 1867, gambling is considered as illegal in the majority of the regions across the country. {{Further|Gambling in India}} |
| {{Flag|Indonesia}}
|Illegal for all ages |All forms of gambling are illegal.{{cite web |title=Indonesia.go.id - Edukasi dan Penegakan Hukum: Strategi Pemerintah Berantas Judi Online |url=https://indonesia.go.id/kategori/editorial/8335/edukasi-dan-penegakan-hukum-strategi-pemerintah-berantas-judi-online?lang=1 |website=indonesia.go.id |publisher=Government of Indonesia |access-date=16 October 2024 |language=id |date=27 June 2024 |trans-title=Gov’t Establishes Online Gambling Eradication Task Force}} - English translation [https://indonesia.go.id/kategori/editorial/8335/gov-t-establishes-online-gambling-eradication-task-force?lang=2 here]{{cite web |last1=TRIANA |first1=NELI |title=Uang Judi Gagal Membangun Kota, ”Bang Oma” Sudah Ingatkan |url=https://www.kompas.id/baca/english/2023/10/13/wabah-judi-daring-bang-rhoma-pun-makin-prihatin?open_from=Translator_Mark |website=kompas.id |access-date=16 October 2024 |language=id |date=15 October 2023 |trans-quote=At the end of 1993, following years of pressure from various parties [...] the Indonesian government banned all forms of gambling. |trans-title =Gambling Money Fails to Build Cities, "Bang Oma" Reminds You}} |
| {{Flag|Israel}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Japan}}
|Majority is lowered to 18, but gambling age still stays at 20 (for lotteries and casinos). |
| {{Flagicon|Jordan}} Jordan
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flag|Kyrgyzstan}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Laos}}
| |
| {{Flag|Lebanon}}
|21 | |
| {{Flagicon|Macau}} Macau
|21 | |
| {{Flag|Malaysia}}
|21 |Resorts World Genting in Genting Highlands is the only casino in Malaysia as of 2022. |
| {{Flag|Maldives}}
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flag|Mongolia}}
|None | |
| {{Flag|Myanmar}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Pakistan}}
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flag|Philippines}}
|21 (casinos) | |
| {{Flag|Qatar}}
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flag|Russia}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Saudi Arabia}} Saudi Arabia
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flag|Singapore}}
|21 (casinos) | |
| {{Flag|South Korea}}
|19 | |
| {{Flag|Sri Lanka}}
|21 (lotteries) | |
| {{Flag|Syria}}
|Illegal for all ages{{Cite web|url=https://lcb.org/restrictions/syria|title=Syrian Arab Republic Online Gambling Restrictions|website=lcb.org|language=en|access-date=2019-06-28}} | |
| {{Flag|Taiwan}}
|20 | |
| {{Flag|Tajikistan}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Thailand}}
|Illegal for all ages (casinos) 20 (lottery) |Gambling is illegal in Thailand, except for the Government lottery. |
| {{Flag|Timor-Leste}}
|18 |Only the Government lottery and licensed slot machines are legal.{{Cite journal |date= |title=Decreto-lei № 6/2016 de 20 de abril - Regime Jurídico do Licenciamento, Exploração e Controlo da Atividade dos Jogos Sociais e de Diversão, Máquinas de Jogo e Jogos Tradicionais |url=http://www.mj.gov.tl/jornal/public/docs/2016/serie_1/SERIE_I_NO_15.pdf |journal=Jornal da República |language=pt |location=Díli |publication-date=2016-04-20 |volume=1 |issue= |pages=9214–9226}} |
| {{Flag|Turkey}}
|Illegal for all ages (casinos) |Gambling is illegal in Turkey except for lotteries and horse races. |
| {{Flag|UAE}}
|Illegal for all ages (casinos) | |
| {{Flagicon|Vietnam}} Vietnam
|21 | |
Africa
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ !Country/territory !Minimum age !Notes |
| {{Flagicon|Algeria}} Algeria
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flag|Angola}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Botswana}} Botswana
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Burkina Faso}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Cote d'Ivoire}}
|21 | |
| {{Flagicon|Djibouti}} Djibouti
|18 (casinos) None (other types) | |
| {{Flagicon|Egypt}} Egypt
|21 | |
| {{Flag|Equatorial Guinea}}
|None | |
| {{Flag|Eritrea}}
|Illegal for all ages None (online) | |
| {{Flag|Ethiopia}}
|Illegal for all ages None (online) | |
| {{Flag|Gabon}}
|None |There is no official gambling age; many erroneously believe it to be 18. |
| {{Flagicon|Ghana}} Ghana
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Guinea}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Guinea Bissau}}
|None |There is no official gambling age; many erroneously believe it to be 18. |
| {{Flagicon|Libya}} Libya
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flagicon|Malawi}} Malawi
| |
| {{Flag|Mali}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Mauritania}} Mauritania
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flagicon|Morocco}} Morocco
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Mozambique}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Namibia}} Namibia
| |
| {{Flag|Niger}}
|21 (some casinos) 18 (some other casinos, all other types) | |
| {{Flag|Nigeria}}
| |
| {{Flag|Rwanda}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Senegal}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Seychelles}}
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Somalia}} Somalia
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flagicon|South Africa}} South Africa
| |
| {{Flag|South Sudan}}
|None | |
| {{Flagicon|Sudan}} Sudan
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flagicon|Tanzania}} Tanzania
|18 | |
| {{Flagicon|Tunisia}} Tunisia
|None |Legal at any age: unsuccessful attempts have been made to declare gambling illegal outright or impose a minimum age. |
| {{Flagicon|Uganda}} Uganda
|25 | |
North America
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Country/territory !Minimum age !class=unsortable|Notes |
| {{Flag|Anguilla}}
|None |Casinos do not exist in Anguilla as of 2023 |
| {{Flag|Antigua and Barbuda}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Bahamas}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Barbados}}
| |
| {{Flag|Belize}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|British Virgin Islands}}
|Illegal for all ages | |
| {{Flag|Canada}}
|18–19 (varies by province) | {| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !Province !Minimum age !Notes |
| Alberta
|18 (casinos) | |
| British Columbia
|19 (casinos) | |
| Manitoba
|18 (casinos) | |
| New Brunswick
|19 (casinos) | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador
|19 (casinos) | |
| Nova Scotia
|19 (casinos) | |
| Ontario
|19 (casinos) | |
| Prince Edward Island
|19 (casinos) | |
| Quebec
|18 (casinos) | |
| Saskatchewan
|19 (casinos) | |
|-
|{{Flag|Cayman Islands}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Costa Rica}}
|18
|
|- This law is often not enforced
|{{Flag|Cuba}}
|Illegal for all ages
|
|-
|{{Flag|Dominica}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Dominican Republic}}
|18{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}
|
|-
|{{Flag|El Salvador}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Greenland}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Guatemala}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Haiti}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Honduras}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Jamaica}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Mexico}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Nicaragua}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Panama}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Puerto Rico}}
|
|-
|{{Flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Saint Lucia}}
|18
|
|-
|{{Flag|Turks and Caicos Islands}}
|21
|
|-
|{{Flag|US Virgin Islands}}
|21 (casinos)
18 (other)
|
|-
|{{Flag|United States}}
|18, 19, 21 or illegal (varies by state)
|
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!State !Minimum age !class=unsortable|Notes |
| Alabama
|19 | |
| Alaska
|21 | |
| Arizona
|21 | |
| Arkansas
|21 | |
| California
|21 or 18 (casinos){{Cite web|title=California Gambling Control Commission|url=http://www.cgcc.ca.gov/?pageID=laws-regs|access-date=2021-07-30|website=www.cgcc.ca.gov}} | |
| Colorado
|21 (casinos) | |
| Connecticut
|21 | |
| Delaware
|21 (casinos) | |
| District of Columbia
|18 | |
| Florida
|21 (casinos) | |
| 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{{Cite web|title=Utah Code Section 76-10-1102|url=https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter10/76-10-S1102.html?v=C76-10-S1102_2020032820200328|access-date=2021-08-01|website=le.utah.gov}} | |
| Vermont
|21 | |
| Virginia
|21 (casinos) 18 (other) | |
| Washington
|18 | |
| West Virginia
|21 | |
| Wisconsin
|21 | |
| Wyoming
|21 | |
|}
South America
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Country/territory !Minimum age !class=unsortable|Notes |
| {{Flag|Argentina}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Aruba}}
|18 |This law is not often enforced. |
| {{Flag|Bolivia}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Brazil}}
|Illegal for all ages (casinos) |Gambling is illegal in Brazil, except for the Government lottery. |
| {{Flag|Chile}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Colombia}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Curacao}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Ecuador}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Falkland Islands}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|French Guiana}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Guyana}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Paraguay}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Peru}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Suriname}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Trinidad and Tobago}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Uruguay}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Venezuela}}
|18 | |
Antarctica
| class="wikitable"
!Country/territory !Minimum age !Notes |
| {{Flag|Antarctica}}
|Not applicable / Varying |See Crime in Antarctica |
| {{Flag|French Southern and Antarctic Lands}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|Heard and McDonald Islands}}
|18 | |
| {{Flag|South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands}}
|18 | |