Is online gambling legal in Serbia?

Legal overview

Gambling in Serbia is governed by the Law on Games of Chance, published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 18/2020 and amended by No. 94/2024. The law separates classic games, such as lotteries, from special games, which include casino games, gaming machines and betting. When classic games are offered through electronic communication, only the State Lottery of Serbia may run them. Special games offered over the internet, telephone, television or SMS need an approval from the Games of Chance Administration, and only a legal entity or entrepreneur with its seat in Serbia can hold one.

The Administration publishes a list of authorised organisers on its website. When checked, the section for special games via electronic communication named 25 companies, each listed with the website it operates.The law requires these organisers to verify a player's age against an identity document before opening an account, to keep minors out, and to honour self-exclusion. It also prohibits peer-to-peer online poker and transfers between player accounts.

The law prohibits taking part in games of chance organised abroad when the stake is paid in Serbia, and it also prohibits making such payments possible. In 2020 the Administration asked mobile and internet providers to block foreign betting sites, and at least one major operator confirmed it did so from 15 October 2020. The Administration's consumer guide states that organising gambling without authorisation is a criminal offence under the Criminal Code. Players on unlicensed sites therefore have no local protection, and payment to them is unlawful.