Is online gambling legal in Belize?
Status of online casinos, the regulator, the minimum age and where to get help, with our sources and the date we checked them.
Short answer
No Belize-licensed online casino may serve residents, and the law does not address residents who play on foreign sites. The minimum age to gamble is 18.
Legal overview
Belize's gambling law is spread over several older statutes. The Gaming Control Act (Chapter 152, first passed in 1999) created the Gaming Control Board and lets it license gaming premises. Licensees may not admit anyone under 18. The Act deals only with physical premises and does not mention internet gaming. Online wagering has its own law, the Computer Wagering Licensing Act of 1995. Lotteries and illegal gaming houses are covered by the Lotteries Control Act and the Gambling Prevention Act.
Online licences from Belize are aimed at export markets. In a February 2022 notice the government said Mum Casino Ltd was the only licensed online gaming company operating from Belize, and that any other site claiming a Belizean licence was operating illegally. Local press reports that Belize-licensed online operators may not take bets from Belize residents, and that by December 2025 the country had stopped issuing new online licences. As a result, no locally licensed online casino is open to residents. We found no law that bans residents from using foreign sites, and no blocking of such sites. Players who use them have no Belizean body to complain to.
A reform is under way. The Gaming and Lotteries Control Bill 2025 would merge the four existing laws into one, but the Senate paused it in November 2025 for revisions. The National Assembly's website later listed "Act No. 3 of 2026, Gaming and Lotteries Control" among the Acts uploaded in March 2026. The site was suspended when we checked, so we could not confirm the Act's content, its new regulator or its start date.
| Status | No local licensing |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Gaming Control Board of Belize |
| Main law | Gaming Control Act, Chapter 152 (Revised Edition 2011); Computer Wagering Licensing Act (1995); Gaming and Lotteries Control Act (Act No. 3 of 2026, text not confirmed) |
| Licensing model | Gaming premises are licensed by the Gaming Control Board. Online licences have been issued only for foreign markets, and none are currently being granted. |
| Online casinos | No Belize-licensed online casino may serve residents, and the law does not address residents who play on foreign sites. |
| Enforcement | The government has issued public warnings against sites that falsely claim a Belizean online licence. We found no sign of ISP or payment blocking. |
| Minimum age | 18 years |
| Currency | BZD |
| Self-exclusion scheme | Not disclosed |
| Last checked | October 25, 2026 |
FAQ
Can Belize residents play at online casinos licensed in Belize?
No. Local reports say Belize-licensed online operators may not serve residents, and as of late 2025 no new online licences were being issued.
Is it illegal to use foreign casino sites in Belize?
We found no law that bans residents from using foreign sites, and no blocking. These sites are not supervised in Belize, however.
Is Belize changing its gambling law?
Yes. A Gaming and Lotteries Control Bill would merge four older laws. An Act No. 3 of 2026 of that name has been listed, but its content and start date were not confirmed.
Sources
- belizejudiciary.org/download/Laws-of-Belize-Update-2011/VOLUME%208/Cap%20152%20Gaming%20Control%20Act.pdf
- pressoffice.gov.bz/gaming-control-board-notice-illegal-online-gaming/
- amandala.com.bz/news/online-gambling-sites-operating-without-a-license
- greaterbelize.com/?p=70283
- greaterbelize.com/?p=70979
- greaterbelize.com/?p=73182
- nationalassembly.gov.bz/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Act-No.-3-of-2026-gaming-and-lotteries-control.pdf
This overview is editorial information, not legal advice. Laws change; the regulator's own publications are binding.