Is online gambling legal in Cabo Verde?
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
The law provides for locally licensed online casinos supervised by the IGJ, but no public list of current licence holders was found. The minimum age to gamble is 18.
Legal overview
Gambling in Cabo Verde is governed by Law 77/VI/2005 on games of fortune or chance, amended by Law 62/VII/2010, and supervised by the Inspeção Geral de Jogos (IGJ). Land-based casinos operate under long concessions awarded by public tender for set gaming zones such as Santiago, São Vicente, Boa Vista, Maio and Sal. The 25-year São Vicente concession awarded in 2025 to Monte Cara Casino, S.A. expressly excludes offering its games remotely on electronic platforms.
Online gambling has a separate legal basis. Decree-Law 23/2012 created special licences, one category of which covers accepting bets or running games through data communication or computer media. Such licences go to companies set up for the purpose or to existing concessionaires, normally by public tender, and always after an opinion from the gambling inspectorate. Regulatory Decree 1/2019 sets the technical rules for online operating and control systems: the IGJ approves operators' terms and certifies their systems, monitors play through its own control infrastructure, and keeps a central database of excluded players, while minors are barred and only payment methods from accredited entities may be used. An IGJ anti-money-laundering regulation of 2020 applies to holders of online casino licences and requires players on permitted sites to be identified.
The national lottery games run by the Cabo Verde Red Cross (Totoloto, Joker and Lotaria) have been sold online since 2024 for players aged 18 and over. No public register of current online casino licensees was found, so players cannot easily check whether a site is locally authorised. Foreign sites are outside IGJ supervision, and no rule on blocking them was found.
| Status | Restricted market |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Inspeção Geral de Jogos (IGJ) |
| Main law | Lei n.º 77/VI/2005 (Law on games of fortune or chance), amended by Lei n.º 62/VII/2010; Decreto-Lei n.º 23/2012 (special licences, including remote gambling); Decreto-Regulamentar n.º 1/2019 (technical rules for online gambling systems) |
| Licensing model | Concessions for land-based casinos by gaming zone, plus special licences for remote gambling under Decree-Law 23/2012, awarded by public tender or, with Council of Ministers authorisation, by limited tender or direct award. |
| Online casinos | The law provides for locally licensed online casinos supervised by the IGJ, but no public list of current licence holders was found. |
| Minimum age | 18 years |
| Currency | CVE |
| Self-exclusion scheme | Not disclosed |
| Last checked | October 25, 2026 |
FAQ
Is online casino legal in Cabo Verde?
Cabo Verde law provides for special licences for remote gambling under Decree-Law 23/2012, supervised by the IGJ. No public list of current online casino licensees was found.
Who regulates gambling in Cabo Verde?
The Inspeção Geral de Jogos (IGJ) supervises casinos, lotteries and online gambling, approves online systems and keeps the central database of excluded players.
Can I play the national lottery online?
Yes. Since 2024 the Cabo Verde Red Cross has sold Totoloto, Joker and Lotaria online for players aged 18 and over.
Sources
This overview is editorial information, not legal advice. Laws change; the regulator's own publications are binding.