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Is online gambling legal in Solomon Islands?
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
Online casino play is not legal for residents: the Act provides no online licence, and licensed casino gaming is reserved for foreign visitors and approved club members. The minimum age to gamble is 18.
Legal overview
Gambling in the Solomon Islands is governed by the Gaming and Lotteries Act (Cap. 139), in the reprint current to 5 February 2024. The Act is administered by a five-member Gaming and Lotteries Board appointed by the Minister. The Board grants commercial gaming permits and commercial lottery licences, and its decisions can be appealed to the Minister. Commercial gaming is allowed only in the areas of a hotel-casino complex named in a Board permit, and the Board may grant no more than two such permits for Honiara. Section 6(3) states that only foreign or overseas guests or visitors, or approved persons (members of a club housed in a hotel complex), have a right to enter or take part in commercial gaming. Residents are therefore generally excluded from casino play.
Outside licensed premises, the Act treats gaming with unequal chances, or gaming that requires payment beyond the stake, as presumed unlawful. It is an offence to be present at unlawful gaming in order to take part, to game in a public place, or to run commercial gaming without a permit. All lotteries are unlawful unless they fall under the exemptions for small, society or licensed commercial lotteries. No one under 18 may take part in gaming, except in a private home or with a parent or guardian present and consenting.
The Act does not mention internet, online or interactive gaming, and the Board issues no online licence. Because licensed casino gaming is reserved for foreign visitors and no online route exists, online casino play has no legal basis for residents. Offshore sites are not regulated by any Solomon Islands authority.
| Status | Restricted market |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Gaming and Lotteries Board |
| Main law | Gaming and Lotteries Act (Cap. 139), as amended by the Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2004 |
| Licensing model | Limited licensing by the Gaming and Lotteries Board: commercial gaming permits for hotel-casino complexes (maximum two in Honiara) and commercial lottery licences; no online licence exists. |
| Online casinos | Online casino play is not legal for residents: the Act provides no online licence, and licensed casino gaming is reserved for foreign visitors and approved club members. |
| Advertising rules | Selling, advertising, printing or otherwise promoting an unlawful lottery is an offence under section 13(2) of the Gaming and Lotteries Act. |
| Minimum age | 18 years |
| Currency | SBD |
| Self-exclusion scheme | Not disclosed |
| Last checked | October 25, 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
Can residents of the Solomon Islands play at casinos?
Generally no. Section 6(3) of the Gaming and Lotteries Act limits commercial gaming to foreign or overseas guests and visitors and approved members of hotel-complex clubs.
Is online gambling licensed in the Solomon Islands?
No. The Gaming and Lotteries Act does not cover internet or interactive gaming, and the Gaming and Lotteries Board issues no online licence.
What is the minimum gambling age in the Solomon Islands?
18. Section 3(3) of the Act bars anyone under 18 from gaming, except in a private home or with a parent or guardian present and permitting it.
Sources
This overview is editorial information, not legal advice. Laws change; the regulator's own publications are binding.