Taiwan Casinos
Are online casinos legal in Taiwan?
Online casinos are not legal in Taiwan. The Criminal Code prohibits gambling, and the only legal betting products are the state-backed Sports Lottery and the Public Welfare Lottery. No online casino licences are issued, and while a 2009 law opened the door to casinos on Taiwan’s outlying islands subject to local referendums, no casino has ever actually opened, so there is no regulated casino industry in practice.
Is online gambling legal in Taiwan?
No. Online casino play is prohibited in Taiwan. The only legal betting is the state Sports Lottery and the Public Welfare Lottery, and no online casino licences exist.
The legal position in Taiwan
Taiwan’s Criminal Code treats gambling as an offence, and enforcement covers both operators and, in principle, players who gamble unlawfully. The two sanctioned exceptions are the Sports Lottery and the Public Welfare Lottery, both government-authorised and run for public benefit. Everything else, including casino games online, sits outside the law. A 2009 amendment allowed offshore islands to hold referendums on hosting casinos, but proposals have repeatedly failed or stalled, so no operating casino exists.
What residents should know
With no licensing route for online casinos, any such site targeting Taiwanese players is offshore and unregulated locally. Points to keep in mind:
- Offshore casino sites offer no Taiwanese consumer protection and no local recourse.
- Only the two state lotteries are legally sanctioned betting products.
- Support for gambling-related harm is available through BeGambleAware.
For a nearby regulated land-based contrast, see our overview of online casinos in Macau.
Are there any casinos in Taiwan?
No operating casinos exist in Taiwan. A 2009 law allowed outlying islands to approve casinos by referendum, but every serious proposal has failed or stalled, so no casino has opened. Casino gambling remains effectively unavailable and unlicensed.
What gambling is legal in Taiwan?
Only the government-authorised Sports Lottery and Public Welfare Lottery are legal. All other gambling, including online casino play, is prohibited under the Criminal Code, and no online casino operator holds a Taiwanese licence.



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