- September 10, 2024
Gambling License Policies and Legality of Gambling in Southeast Asian Countries
For gambling operators, gambling licenses are an important issue that cannot be avoided. This is directly related to whether you choose the regular army business model or adopt guerrilla tactics when conducting gambling business. Of course, it is not easy to say which of these two strategies is better or worse, but it is obvious that companies with legal licenses have greater flexibility and wider operating space in many aspects. Especially after the ban on POGO in the Philippines in the second half of this year, many companies are facing the dilemma of transferring their businesses. This is one of the biggest challenges facing gambling operators in Southeast Asia at present. (To be precise, this mainly affects gambling companies doing business in the Philippines). For small gambling companies, they may be able to temporarily cope with it by working from home, but for large gambling companies, the situation is relatively more complicated. Today, the editor of Tianchengbao.com will analyze in detail the gambling license policies in Asia and which countries have achieved legalized gambling. We will start with the gambling licenses in Southeast Asian countries and the countries with legal gambling.
(Originally, we planned to write an article about gambling legalization countries and licensing policies in the entire Asian region, but if we write about Asian gambling licenses at the same time, the article may be too long. Therefore, we decided to discuss the legalization of gambling in East Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, North Asia, and other regions, as well as their respective gambling licensing policies.)
Basic Situation in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. With the widespread popularity of the Internet and the rapid development of tourism, the gambling industry has gradually become an important area of close attention for governments and investors in Southeast Asia. However, there are significant differences in the legality and licensing policies of gambling in various countries. Some countries have established a comprehensive gambling regulatory system, while others continue to prohibit gambling. In this article, we will explore the gambling licensing policies of Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, and analyze in detail the gambling legality, demographics, Internet usage, and licensing mechanisms of these countries. I hope this information can help you better understand the gambling policies of these countries.
1. Philippine Gaming License Policy and Gambling Legality
There are many different stories about the Philippines, but one thing is certain: Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) have been banned. This ban has become the direct reason why gambling companies operating in the Philippines are eager to find new locations.
>(The gambling situation in the Philippines is a hot topic now, so I won’t elaborate on it here)
- Population: Approximately 110 million
- GDP per capita: about $3,600
- Internet usage rate: 68.5%
- Gambling Legality: While iGaming and offline casinos are legal, Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) are banned and no new gambling licenses are being issued.
- Licensing: The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is responsible for regulating the gambling industry, including the regulation of offline casinos. Previously, PAGCOR also provided licenses for iGaming operators, but now that Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) are banned, all operations must be closed this year, and no new licenses will be issued.
2. Vietnam’s Gambling License Policy and Gambling Legality
As an important country in Southeast Asia, Vietnam has relaxed its gambling policies in recent years, especially in offline gambling. The Vietnamese government has gradually adopted a more flexible policy. Although offline casinos have been gradually legalized, iGaming is still prohibited.
1. The current status of gambling legality in Vietnam
The gambling industry in Vietnam has always been banned in history, but it has only been in recent years that the authorities have slowly begun to open up, mainly to foreign tourists. Local residents have also been banned from gambling for a long time, but with the development of the economy and the prosperity of tourism, the authorities have gradually realized the potential economic benefits of the gambling industry.
In recent years, the Vietnamese government has adopted a gradually open policy, allowing Vietnamese locals to participate in certain gambling under certain conditions.
- In 2016, Vietnam’s Politburo approved two local casinos for a three-year trial run.
- When the 2018 World Cup was held in Russia, Vietnam’s National Assembly approved “allowing Vietnamese residents to bet on overseas football matches.” However, the new regulations only came into effect in 2019.
- Vietnam Lottery Corporation (Vietlott) will launch a pilot program to sell lottery tickets via text messages in the second half of 2020; (Previously, Vietlott's total sales increased 55.2% year-on-year in the six months before)
- In August 2024, a three-year pilot program to allow locals to gamble in casinos in Vietnam was interrupted in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has now been extended to the end of 2024.
With the economic development and the booming tourism industry, the Vietnamese government has also realized that the gambling industry can help the economy and has begun to gradually relax its gambling policies. At the same time, it has chosen to conditionally allow locals to participate in gambling. For example, in terms of offline gambling, Vietnam has opened some casinos for local residents to enter. The Van Don Casino in Quang Ninh Province is the first casino open to locals. This includes high-income requirements and high entry fees.
The iGaming is still illegal in Vietnam. However, there are still many overseas gambling platforms whose users are Vietnamese players, which has also promoted the prosperity of the Vietnamese gambling market in recent years. However, the Vietnamese authorities are still cracking down on these gambling platforms. They still use the old methods, such as strengthening network supervision and payment restrictions to prevent Vietnamese players from participating in this iGaming.
2.Vietnam Gambling License Policy
Vietnam's gambling license policy is mainly aimed at offline casinos and specific gambling projects. Currently, the Vietnamese government only issues gambling licenses to some designated foreign investment projects and requires casinos to mainly serve foreign tourists and operate in specific areas of special economic zones.
Although there is no specific iGaming license system or law, in response to the growing demand for gambling in the market, it is possible that legislation and regulatory measures for iGaming will be introduced in the future.
3. Population and Internet Usage in Vietnam
- Vietnam population: 99.19 million (2024)
- GDP per capita: US$4,346.8 (2023)
- Number of Internet users: 78.44 million, Internet penetration rate is 79.1%. (2024)
- Number of social media users: 72.7 million, or 73.3% of the total population (2024)
- Mobile connections: 168.5 million active cellular mobile connections, reaching 169.8% of the total population. (2024)
3. Laos Gambling License Policy and Gambling Legality
Laos, as a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, has maintained a relatively conservative attitude towards the gambling industry in recent years. Although other neighboring countries have relaxed gambling regulations, including issuing iGaming licenses, it has always been conservative. The gambling industry is still mainly concentrated in casinos open to foreign tourists, and there are some very strict restrictions on the participation of local citizens in gambling.
1. The current status of gambling legality in Laos
The gambling industry in Laos is generally highly controlled, especially for local residents. Although Laos does not completely ban gambling, its laws prohibit citizens from participating in any form of gambling, which makes domestic casinos mainly open to foreign tourists. The Lao government hopes that in this way, it can develop the economic benefits brought by the gambling industry while avoiding the negative impact of gambling on the local society.
Currently, the gambling industry in Laos is concentrated in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone. This is an area specially approved by the authorities for the development of tourism, commerce, and gambling. However, there are basically no publicly operated gambling venues in other areas. The iGaming is also included in the prohibited list.
2. Laos’ Gambling License Policy
Currently, Laos' gambling licenses are mainly issued to offline casinos operating in designated special economic zones. As for iGaming licenses, Laos proposed in June 2022 that it would issue offshore gambling licenses in the same manner as the POGO model. It plans to adopt a two-tiered licensing structure: Master License and Sub-license. This is similar to the gambling licensing system of the Philippines POGO and Curacao.
However, as of now in 2024, Laos' iGaming license has not yet been fully legislated, and relevant laws and regulations have not been established. With the development of the iGaming market in neighboring countries, Laos may also adjust its policies at the appropriate time and introduce a legal iGaming regulatory framework. I believe that in the near future, relevant regulations will be introduced.
However,the latest news is that the gambling license in Laos has been officially issued. For details, please contact TC-Gaming Sales.
3. Population and Internet Usage in Laos
- Laos population: 7.69 million. (2024)
- GDP per capita: US$2,075 (2023)
- Number of Internet users: 5.08 million, Internet penetration rate is 66.2%. (2024)
- Number of social media users: 3.75 million, accounting for 48.8% of the total population. (2024)
- Number of mobile connections: 6.8 million, or 88.5% of the population. (2024)
4. Cambodia’s Gambling License Policy and Gambling Legality
Cambodia's gambling industry has developed rapidly in recent years, especially in attracting foreign tourists and boosting economic growth. The country's gambling license policy is relatively open, and the gambling industry is legal. However, locals are not allowed to go to casinos.
1. The current status of gambling legality in Cambodia
The gambling industry in Cambodia is legal, but like many Southeast Asian countries, Cambodia does not allow its residents to go to casinos. According to the 1996 Gambling Law, Cambodian citizens are prohibited from participating in gambling activities, and only foreign tourists can legally gamble in the country's casinos. But even if locals can't play, Cambodia still attracts a large number of foreign gambling investors and tourists, including gamblers from neighboring countries such as China, Thailand, and Vietnam. At the same time, there are a large number of casinos in Cambodia, with 184 licensed gambling halls currently. 100 of them are located in coastal areas. 48 are located in provinces bordering Thailand. The rest are located on the border with Vietnam.
In 2023, Cambodia's state revenue from casinos exceeded 81.84 billion riel (approximately: €18.4m/£15.5m/$20m).:
Cambodia has become a popular area for gambling. In 2023, the revenue from casinos in Cambodia exceeded 81.84 billion riels (approximately: 18.4 million euros/15.5 million pounds/20 million US dollars). Such achievements are inseparable from the early opening of iGaming licenses. However, since 2019, the Prime Minister of Cambodia has ordered the closure of the emerging iGaming industry and suspended the issuance of iGaming licenses. Forcing a large number of iGaming operators to close or move out of Cambodia. This is so similar to the current iGaming situation in the Philippines.
2. Cambodia’s Gambling License Policy
Compared with other countries, Cambodia's offline gambling license system is relatively relaxed, and foreign investors can apply for a legal license to operate a casino. The premise is that the casino must be located in a designated area or border city. But in July 2024, "Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has banned the opening of new casinos in Kep and Kampot on the southern coast. But Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province is an exception."
Cambodia has stopped issuing new iGaming licenses since the ban on iGaming in 2019. Officially, iGaming operations of any kind are no longer allowed. However, despite the ban, many iGaming companies continue to operate from Cambodia and serve overseas markets. However, these gambling operators also face greater risks and uncertainties.
3. Population and Internet Usage in Cambodia
- Cambodia population: 17.03 million
- GDP per capita: $1,917
- Number of Internet users: 9.66 million, Internet penetration rate is 56.7%. (2024)
- Number of social media users: 11.65 million, 68.4% of the total population. (2024)
- Mobile connections: 24.65 million active cellular connections, accounting for 144.7% of the total population.
5. Myanmar Gambling License Policy and Gambling Legality
The gambling industry in Myanmar is currently in a state of uncertainty and confusion. Although the government has attempted to regulate and legalize gambling over the past few years, policies remain vague and constantly changing.
1. Current status of gambling legality in Myanmar
Online and offline gambling is mostly illegal in Myanmar. According to Myanmar's Gambling Act of 1886, almost all forms of gambling activities are prohibited. However, in recent years, as the gambling industry in neighboring countries such as Cambodia and the Philippines has developed rapidly, the Myanmar government has begun to relax some gambling bans in order to attract foreign investment and stimulate economic growth.
In 2019, the Myanmar Parliament passed a law allowing foreigners to open casinos in specific areas of the country. This is the first time that the Myanmar government has allowed casinos to operate within the legal framework, but this policy is limited to foreigners. Local Burmese are still prohibited from participating in casino gambling. These casinos are mainly aimed at foreign tourists, which is intended to promote tourism and tax revenue. Before the enactment of this law, gambling was mostly illegal. Only special areas operated outside the law. Mainly to cater to tourists from neighboring countries. Although there are more standardized laws now, iGaming is still mostly unregulated. In fact, even locals don’t care about casinos, let alone iGaming. That’s why I used "chaos" to describe Myanmar’s gambling industry in the previous section.
2. Myanmar Gambling License Policy
Although Myanmar has passed a law allowing foreigners to operate casinos, Myanmar's gambling license system is still not fully mature. The government has not yet clearly defined the detailed process for applying for and issuing gambling licenses. Some casinos have obtained some form of temporary license through special economic zones or resorts, but there is a lack of a unified and transparent licensing process.
In addition, iGaming has not been legalized in Myanmar and there is no relevant regulatory framework. Therefore, all iGaming platforms operating in Myanmar are illegal, although some platforms still operate in an underground form, serving domestic and international markets.
In general, I feel that each region in Myanmar has a great deal of autonomy, so it is impossible to achieve real unified supervision of the gambling laws. There is also some income from the gambling industry, and some supervision can also bring good benefits to a certain extent.
3. Population and Internet Usage in Myanmar
- Myanmar population: 54.78 million
- GDP per capita: $1,149.21
- Number of Internet users: 24.11 million, Internet penetration rate is 44.0%. (2024)
- Number of social media users: 18.5 million, or 33.8% of the population (2024)
- Mobile connections: 64.28 million active cellular connections, accounting for 117.4% of the total population.
6. Thailand’s Gambling License Policy and Gambling Legality
Thailand has very strict laws on the gambling industry, and most forms of gambling are currently illegal in Thailand. Although there are discussions about the legalization of gambling in the country, Thailand has not yet opened up the gambling market or issued any form of gambling licenses.
1. Current status of gambling legality in Thailand
According to Thailand's Gambling Act of 1935, almost all forms of gambling are illegal, with the exception of the national lottery and horse racing betting. Aside from these two exceptions, activities such as casinos, poker, and sports betting are expressly prohibited. Individuals may face fines and imprisonment if they are found to be participating in or operating illegal gambling.
Although Thai law explicitly prohibits gambling, underground gambling activities in Thailand are still very active, especially underground casinos and sports betting. Some Thais often travel to neighboring countries (such as Cambodia, Laos, etc.) for offline gambling.
The iGaming is also illegal in Thailand. The Thai government has been trying to crack down on iGaming by blocking international iGaming sites and strengthening the supervision of payment channels, but the effect is very mediocre.
But last time, Thailand released a draft that stipulates how integrated resorts will operate in Thailand. The following is news about Thai gambling. From the news, it is estimated that there is a high probability that Thailand will open offline casinos.
- (August 5) The Thai government released the draft Integrated Casino (IR) rules for public comment, so offline casinos in Thailand are becoming a reality.
- (August 14) Thai Prime Minister Sreeta Tawisin, a major backer of Thailand’s “entertainment complexes” and casinos, was ousted for appointing a formerly jailed cabinet member.
- (August 21) The ouster of former Prime Minister Setia Thaksin has raised questions about Thailand's plans for legal casinos. New Prime Minister Pathondan Shinawatra is a member of Setia's Pheu Thai Party, which supports the plan. But other factors could complicate casino legislation.
- (August 26) The ouster of former Thai Prime Minister Setia Thaksin has not reduced high-level support for legalizing Thai casinos. Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (father of Setia's successor, Pathumdan Shinawatra) further reinforced the stance by personally expressing support for the plan.
2. Thailand Gambling License Policy
Currently, Thailand does not have a legal gambling license system, and any company operating a gambling business in Thailand is illegal. Thailand does not open license applications, nor has it established a gambling regulatory agency like other Southeast Asian countries. Despite the lack of a formal licensing system, the Thai government has recently begun to promote the legalization of casinos.
3. Population and Internet Usage in Thailand
- Thailand population: 71.85 million
- GDP per capita: $6,909.96
- Number of Internet users: 63.21 million, Internet penetration rate: 88.0%. (2024)
- Number of social media users: 49.1 million, or 68.3% of the population (2024)
- Mobile connections: 97.81 million active cellular mobile connections, accounting for 136.1% of the total population.
7. Malaysia’s Gambling License Policy and Gambling Legality
Malaysia's gambling industry policy presents a unique duality, strictly prohibiting certain forms of gambling while allowing certain types of legal gambling to exist. This complex policy landscape is mainly due to Malaysia's religious background and multicultural social structure. As a country with Islam as the dominant religion, Malaysian law strictly prohibits Muslims from participating in any form of gambling activities, which is based on the explicit prohibition of gambling in Islamic teachings. However, considering the presence of a considerable proportion of the non-Muslim population in the country, the Malaysian government has adopted a balanced strategy, allowing non-Muslim citizens to participate in certain forms of legal gambling under certain conditions.
Such a policy reflects the Malaysian government's efforts to find a balance between upholding Islamic teachings and respecting multiculturalism. On the one hand, the government protects Muslims from gambling activities through laws and regulations; on the other hand, it provides limited but legal gambling channels for non-Muslims, while also creating certain economic benefits for the country. This, to a certain extent, reflects the diversity of Malaysian society and highlights the government's flexibility in dealing with sensitive cultural and religious issues.
1. The current status of gambling legality in Malaysia
Gambling in Malaysia is mainly implemented under the legal framework of the Gambling Act 1953 and the Common Gambling Act 2011. These two laws stipulate penalties for illegal gambling but also allow certain legal forms of gambling to exist.
- Legal Gambling: Non-Muslim citizens can legally participate in some gambling activities, such as national lotteries, horse racing, and gambling in legal casinos. Genting Casino in Genting Highlands is the only legal casino in Malaysia, and Genting mainly attracts foreign tourists and non-Muslim players.
- Illegal Gambling: Apart from the legal activities listed above, all other forms of gambling (including underground casinos and iGaming) are illegal. Muslims in particular are legally prohibited from participating in any form of gambling, even legal gambling.
Malaysia has very strict legal controls on iGaming. Under the Common Gambling Act, all forms of iGaming are prohibited, especially for Malaysian citizens. The authorities crack down on iGaming by blocking domain names or IPs, as well as some payment channels. There was an increase in the crackdown on iGaming in 2020.
2. Malaysia’s Gambling Licensing System
Malaysia has not yet established a licensing system specifically for iGaming, and there seems to be no news of plans to open up the market in the short term. This is mainly due to religious and cultural considerations. However, in the field of offline gambling, Malaysia has adopted a more open but still controlled strategy. As the only legal casino in the country, Genting Casino enjoys an exclusive operating license issued by the government and has become a landmark in Malaysia's gambling industry.
3. Population and Internet Usage in Malaysia
- Malaysia population: 34.49 million
- GDP per capita: $11,993.19GDP per capita: $11,993.19
- Number of Internet users: 33.59 million, Internet penetration rate is 97.4%. (2024)
- Number of social media users: 28.68 million, accounting for 83.1% of the total population. (2024)
- Mobile connections: 44.55 million active cellular connections, accounting for 129.2% of the total population.
8. Brunei’s Gambling License Policy and Gambling Legality
Brunei is a monarchy with Islam as its state religion. Its government strictly prohibits any form of gambling at the legal level based on religious and moral considerations. Therefore, gambling is considered completely illegal in Brunei.
1. Current status of gambling legality in Brunei
There are no legal casinos or physical gambling venues in Brunei, including iGaming. All forms of gambling are considered criminal acts. It is also clearly prohibited for any organization, company, or individual to open a casino or provide gambling services. If you are caught, you will be severely punished.
Although any form of gambling is strictly prohibited in Brunei, due to its geographical proximity to Malaysia and Singapore, some Brunei residents travel to these neighboring countries to gamble.
- Malaysia: In particular, the Genting Highlands Casino in Malaysia has become a popular destination for Bruneians because of its proximity. Brunei residents can legally participate in gambling there, as non-Muslims in Malaysia are allowed to gamble in legal casinos.
- Singapore: Bruneians also frequent Singapore's two major legal casinos - Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa.
Although these neighboring countries provide gambling opportunities for Brunei residents, the Brunei government does not publicly restrict residents from gambling abroad, but gambling remains a sensitive topic in Bruneian society due to religious reasons.
2. Brunei Gambling Licensing System
Since gambling is completely illegal in Brunei, the government has not established any form of gambling license system. At the same time, the law does not allow any company or individual to apply for or obtain a license to provide gambling services. Even international gambling operators cannot obtain any form of gambling license in Brunei.
Given Brunei’s Islamic legal system and the government’s emphasis on morality and religion, it is unlikely that Brunei will relax its ban on gambling activities in the short term, as gambling is seen as contrary to the country’s religious beliefs and cultural values.
3. Population and Internet Usage in Brunei
- Brunei population: 454,200
- GDP per capita: $11,993.19GDP per capita: $11,993.19
- Number of Internet users: 449,700, Internet penetration rate: 99.0%. (2024)
- Number of social media users: 301,000, or 66.3% of the total population (2024)
- Mobile connections: 617,300 active cellular connections, or 135.9% of the population.
9. Singapore Gambling License Policy and Gambling Legality
Singapore is a leader in the development of the gambling industry in Southeast Asia. It regulates and controls gambling through a sound licensing mechanism and legal and regulatory system. This not only ensures the legal operation of the gambling industry but also creates considerable tax revenue for the government. At the same time, the Singapore government also pays great attention to balancing the relationship between the development of the gambling industry and social welfare and has taken a series of measures to minimize the negative impact that gambling may have on society.
1. Current status of gambling legality in Singapore
Singapore's gambling industry has developed significantly over the past decade, mainly through casinos, horse racing, lotteries, and iGaming (Note: iGaming includes sports betting, horse racing betting, and lottery services). These gambling activities are strictly regulated through relevant laws.
The Remote Gambling Act is the main legal measure taken by the Singapore government against iGaming. It clearly stipulates that any iGaming activities that are not approved by the government are illegal. It covers all forms of remote gambling, including betting through the Internet, telephone, and other electronic means.
2. Singapore Gambling Licensing System
Gambling licenses in Singapore are issued and regulated by the Casino Regulatory Authority.
- Casino Gambling: The Singapore government passed the Casino Control Act in 2006, allowing the establishment of two integrated resort casinos: Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. These two casinos are open not only to foreign tourists but also to local residents, but Singapore residents need to pay an entrance fee of S$100 to enter the casinos.
- Horse Racing and Lottery: Horse racing is managed by the Singapore Turf Club, while lotteries are run by Singapore Pools, which offers a variety of betting options, including sports betting, football betting, and a variety of lotteries.
- iGaming: Singapore prohibits all forms of individual companies from operating iGaming. Any international iGaming platform is illegal in Singapore. This includes betting through the Internet, telephone, and other electronic means. So there is no license. Currently, Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club are the only two operators authorized by the government to provide iGaming services. Content includes online lottery, sports betting, and horse racing betting.
3. Population and Internet Usage in Singapore
- Singapore population: 6.03 million
- GDP per capita: $82,807.63
- Number of Internet users: 5.79 million, Internet penetration rate: 96.0%. (2024)
- Number of social media users: 5.13 million, accounting for 85.0% of the total population. (2024)
- Mobile connections: 9.78 million active cellular connections, accounting for 162.2% of the total population.
10. Indonesia’s Gambling License Policy and Gambling Legality
Indonesia (abbreviated as Indonesia) is the world's most populous Muslim country, with about 87% of the population believing in Islam. The official language isIndonesian. Currently, Indonesia's population exceeds 270 million. Indonesia's population is unevenly distributed, with most people living on Java Island, especially in the capital Jakarta.
1. Current Status of Gambling Legality in Indonesia
Although gambling in Indonesia is completely prohibited by law, international iGaming platforms still exist and target Indonesia as a market. Although it is a Muslim country, people can still place bets on gambling games on the website in some ways. This has also quietly formed a gray market. Many Indonesians access foreign gambling websites by using VPNs and other methods. Although the government has been cracking down on these behaviors, it is still very difficult to completely eliminate iGaming.
2. Indonesian Gambling License System
Gambling in Indonesia is completely prohibited, so there is currently no form of gambling license or system.
3. Population and Internet Usage in Indonesia
- Indonesia population: 278.7 million
- GDP per capita: $4,788.00
- Number of Internet users: 185.3 million, Internet penetration rate 66.5%. (2024)
- Number of social media users: 139 million, or 49.9% of the population (2024)
- Mobile connections: 353.3 million active cellular mobile connections, representing 126.8% of the population.
11. Gambling license policy and legality of gambling in East Timor
Timor-Leste is a small and relatively new country in Southeast Asia, which officially gained independence in 2002. It is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, and its economy is highly dependent on oil and gas resources. Most of the population is engaged in agricultural production. The total population is 1.34 million. 32.1% of the population lives in urban centers, while 67.9% of the population lives in rural areas. The main religion is Catholicism, with Catholic residents accounting for more than 97% of the total population.
1. Current status of gambling legality in East Timor
As East Timor is still in the early stages of economic development, the government's main focus is on infrastructure and other areas, and the laws and regulations of the gambling industry have not received enough attention. In other words, there is currently no detailed legal framework specifically for the gambling industry. Gambling is not clearly legalized. In other words, gambling in East Timor is currently in a legal gray area.
The Internet penetration rate in Timor-Leste is relatively low, and iGaming is not as popular as in other Southeast Asian countries, but there is still a small number of users who gamble online through overseas gambling platforms.
2. East Timor’s Gambling Licensing System
Timor-Leste does not have a specific gambling law, nor does it have similar legal provisions that clearly stipulate how to regulate or permit gambling. The government has not yet discussed legislation on this issue. The main reason should be that it is limited by its overall economic development level and the lag in the construction of the legal system.
3. Population and Internet Usage in Timor-Leste
- Population of East Timor: 1.36 million
- GDP per capita: $2,389.30
- Number of Internet users: 691,200, Internet penetration rate: 51.0%. (2024)
- Number of social media users: 429,900, or 31.7% of the total population (2024)
- Mobile connections: 1.47 million active cellular connections, accounting for 108.4% of the total population.
Summary
Now that the Philippines has banned Pago and stopped issuing licenses, the latest question for major gambling companies in the Philippines is where to move. The iGaming can bring tax revenue to the government, as well as create tourism and employment rates. Therefore, as early as June 2022, Laos had already begun drafting a plan to divide the Philippine offshore gambling market. It said that "Laos will issue new offshore gambling licenses in the same way as the POGO model" and said: "First, they want to better regulate the gambling industry, and second, they have seen that other countries such as the Philippines have made a lot of money through iGaming. So they said this is actually a very good proposal."
The latest news is that Laos has begun to issue gambling licenses. For more details, please contact TC-Gaming Sales.
It is not only Laos that wants to share the iGaming market, but also Thailand. Thailand has also been making moves in this regard recently. In general, iGaming has changed due to the changes in social attitudes in each country and will be more or less open to gambling according to the situation of each country. In particular, the rapid development of digital technology and the increase in the penetration rate of the Internet have made iGaming an important direction for some Southeast Asian countries to quickly attract money in the future.
TC-Gaming has 17 years of experience in the gambling industry, with businesses covering Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, China, Brazil, Spain and other countries. We are deeply involved in the global gambling market and are committed to providing all-round support:
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