How Old Do You Have To Be To Gamble?

Content Team September 3, 2022
How Old Do You Have To Be To Gamble?

Do you want to start gambling but don’t know whether it’s legal in your country or not? Certain activities can have an age restriction, such as playing video games, drinking alcohol, or buying tobacco. Regarding gambling, the most common age limit is 18 years. In case you’re wondering how old do you have to be to gamble or place bets, in this article, I’ll point out age restrictions for many places, so stay tuned.

In the following sections, I’ll go over age restrictions related to gambling and sports betting around the world.

The United States

In most states, the gambling age in the USA is 18, but there are some exceptions.

States Casino Games Sports Betting
Alabama 21 /
Alaska 21 /
Arizona 21 21
Arkansas 21 21
California 18 /
Colorado 21 21
Connecticut 21 21
Delaware 21 21
Florida 21 18
Georgia 18 (cruises only) /
Hawaii 21 /
Idaho 18 /
Illinois 21 21
Indiana 21 21
Iowa 21 21
Kansas 21 /
Kentucky / /
Louisiana 21 21
Maine 21 /
Maryland 21 21
Massachusetts 21 18
Michigan 18/21 18
Minnesota 18 18
Mississippi 21 18
Missouri 21 18
Montana 18 18
Nebraska 21 18
Nevada 21 21
New Hampshire 21 21
New Jersey 21 18
New Mexico 21 18
New York 21 18
North Carolina 21 21
North Dakota 21 21
Ohio 21 /
Oklahoma 18 /
Oregon 21 21
Pennsylvania 21 21
Rhode Island 21 21
South Dakota 18 at Indian Casinos 21
South Carolina 21 (cruises only) /
Tennessee / 21
Texas 21 21
Utah 21 /
Vermont 21 /
Virginia 21 21
Washington 18 21
West Virginia 21 21
Wisconsin 21 21
Wyoming 21 18

Europe

The minimum age to gamble in Europe varies. In some places, the legal age to gamble is 21, while in others, it might be 20 or 18. Take a look below to find out how old do you have to be to bet and play casino games in Europe. For the UK,

European Countries Casino Games Sports Betting
Albania 18 18
Austria 18 18
Andorra / /
Belarus 21 21
Belgium 21 21
Bosnia and Herzegovina / /
Bulgaria 18 18
Croatia 18 18
Czech Republic 18 18
Denmark 18 /
Estonia 21 21
Faroe Islands 18 18
Finland 18 18
France 18 18
Germany 18 18
Gibraltar 18 18
Greece 23 23
Guernsey 18 18
Hungry 18 18
Iceland 18 18
Ireland 18 18
Isle of Man 18 18
Italy 18 18
Kosovo 18 18
Latvia 18 18
Liechtenstein 18 18
Luxembourg 18 18
Malta 18 (25 for Maltese citizens) 18 (25 for Maltese citizens)
Moldova 18 18
Monaco 18 18
Montenegro 18 18
Netherlands 18 18
North Macedonia 18 18
Norway 18 18
Poland 18 18
Portugal 18 or 25 (depends on the casino) 18 or 25 (depends on the casino)
Romania 18 18
San Marino 18 18
Serbia 18 18
Slovakia 18 18
Slovenia 18 18
Spain 18 18
Sweden 18 18
Switzerland 18 18
Turkey 18 18
Ukraine 18 18
United Kingdom 18 18
Vatican City / /

Asia

Overall, there’s no doubt that Asia is one of the best places in the world to gamble. But what is the legal age to gamble there? In most Asian countries, you have to be between the ages of 18 and 21.

Countries in Asia Casino Games Sports Betting
Akrotiri and Dhekelia 18 18
Afghanistan Illegal Illegal
Armenia 21 21
Azerbaijan 18 18
Bahrain Illegal Illegal
Bangladesh / /
British Indian Ocean Territory 18 18
Brunei Darussalam Illegal Illegal
Cambodia / /
China Illegal(except for lotteries) Illegal
Christmas Island 18 18
Cocos (Keeling) Islands 18 18
Cyprus 18 18
Georgia 18 18
Hong Kong 18 18
Iran Illegal Illegal
India 21 21
Indonesia Illegal Illegal
Israel 18 18
Japan 20 20
Kyrgyzstan 18 18
Laos 18 18
Lebanon 21 21
Macau 21 21
Malaysia 21 21
Maldives Illegal Illegal
Mongolia / /
Myanmar 18 18
Pakistan Illegal 1Illegal
Philippines 21 18
Qatar Illegal Illegal
Russia 18 18
Saudi Arabia Illegal Illegal
Singapore 21 18
South Korea 19 19
Syria Illegal Illegal
Tajikistan 18 18
Thailand Illegal Illegal
Turkey 18 18
UAE Illegal Illegal
Vietnam 21 21

Canada

Usually, the minimum age for gambling in Canada is 19 years old. However, like with most other countries around the world, it can vary geographically. Here are the exceptions:

  • Quebec — 18
  • Manitoba — 18
  • Alberta — 18

Latin America

The iGaming business has a lot to look forward to in Latin America. There’s stable growth, and more of it will come. South America is made up of 12 independent countries, each with its own laws about gambling. The legal gambling age is 18 years old.

Oceania

When it comes to Oceania, the usual gambling age is 18 years old. The only current exception is 20 for casinos in New Zealand.

  • There’s no known legal age in Papua New Guinea.
  • In the Federated States of Micronesia, it’s dependent on state law.
  • It’s illegal in the Marshall Islands and Tokelau.

Africa

In Africa, the gambling age is usually 18 or 21, except for Nigeria, where the age limit is 20.

  • It’s illegal in Algeria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Libya, Mauritania,
    Somalia, and Sudan.
  • There’s no known gambling age for Tunisia, South Sudan, Guinea-Bissau,
    Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea.

FAQ

Why are the gambling age limits different?

The legal age when you start being considered an adult differs from country to country, which is probably the main reason.

What will happen if you gamble while you’re underage?

In the US, the winnings will be taken away, and it’s not likely that something else’s going to happen. Though, if someone continuously goes to casinos underage will face some consequences. Also, the operators who let you in can face harsher punishments sometimes.

Is the age restriction the same for land-based and online casinos?

It usually is, but there are countries where the age limit differs between the two.

Is there a connection between the casino bonuses and the age restriction?

No, there’s no connection. You need to be 18 years old or above, and you can take advantage of the bonuses just like everyone else.

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