Is online gambling legal in Guyana?
Gambling in Guyana is governed by the Gambling Prevention Act (Cap. 9:02), which permits licensed betting shops, casinos in new hotels with at least 150 rooms (added by the 2007 amendment) and the Guyana Lottery Company operated under a government agreement. The Gaming Authority, created in 2008, licenses casinos and supervises betting shops, casinos and lotteries for anti-money-laundering purposes, while the Guyana Revenue Authority issues annual betting shop licences at G$2.5 million. Betting shops and their apps expanded rapidly after 2020, and in October 2025 the government announced stricter regulation and higher taxes; the resulting Gaming Authority Bill 2026, covering casinos, gaming lounges, betting shops, remote gaming platforms and a responsible gaming fund, was tabled on 27 July 2026 and awaited committee review.
| Vertical | Status in Guyana |
|---|---|
| Online casino | Restricted |
| Sports betting | Restricted |
| Online poker | Restricted |
| Lottery | Monopoly |
| Social casino (free to play) | Unclear |
Partially regulated: Some verticals are licensed (usually betting); others are prohibited or unaddressed.
Who regulates gambling in Guyana?
- Gaming Authority of Guyana (Gaming Authority) — Issues casino premises and casino operator licences and supervises betting shops, casinos and lotteries under the AML/CFT Act
- Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) — Issues and renews annual betting shop licences and collects gaming-related taxes
Guyana gambling licence: how it works
Two licences exist today. A betting shop licence is issued and renewed annually by the GRA for G$2.5 million against an approved premises plan, fire-service and planning approvals, business registration and police clearance; hundreds of shops operate and several offer betting through mobile apps tied to the shop licence. Casino premises and casino operator licences are issued by the Gaming Authority only for new hotels or resorts with at least 150 rooms and a prescribed rating, with no more than three casino premises licences per region; the first casino opened in 2010 and the government signalled in 2024 that the cap would be lifted as new hotels open. There is no remote gaming licence: the Gaming Authority Bill 2026 would create licensing for remote gaming platforms, betting shop agents, gaming lounges and simulcast racing under a new Guyana Gaming Authority, with taxation, responsible-gaming duties, AML obligations and administrative penalties. Parliament was expected to debate it after reconvening in October 2026.
What an applicant needs
- Betting shop: registered business, tax identification number, approved premises plan with planning and fire-service approvals, police clearance and annual G$2.5 million licence fee
- Casino: new hotel or resort with at least 150 rooms and the prescribed rating, plus separate premises and operator licences from the Gaming Authority
- AML/CFT compliance program and reporting as a supervised entity under the Gaming Authority
- Remote gaming platforms: no current licence; requirements to be set by the Gaming Authority Bill 2026 once passed
Gambling taxes in Guyana
- Operators: Annual betting shop licence fee of G$2.5 million plus general corporate taxes; casinos pay under the Tax Act and their licence terms. The government announced in October 2025 that gambling taxes would rise and the Gaming Authority Bill 2026 includes a taxation chapter whose rates were still before Parliament in September 2026.
- Players: No specific tax on winnings from licensed betting shops or the lottery is published.
- Also: Operators have lobbied for a review of the proposed tax burden and some betting shop operators have proposed closing physical shops and moving to regulated online platforms under the new law.
Advertising, player protection, KYC and payments
Advertising
No dedicated gambling advertising code exists; betting brands advertise freely, which is one of the concerns raised by religious organizations that lobbied for the 2026 bill. The bill would set standards and promote responsible gaming.
Responsible gaming
Minimum age of 18 and casino access limited to hotel guests and permitted visitors; the Gaming Authority Bill 2026 would create a responsible gaming fund and formal player-protection duties for the first time.
Identity and age verification
Casinos, betting shops and lotteries are AML/CFT reporting entities supervised by the Gaming Authority and must conduct customer due diligence and report suspicious transactions; the bill would extend these duties to remote platforms.
Payments
Betting shops take cash and mobile top-ups, and local banks and mobile money services serve app-based betting; no payment-blocking regime for unlicensed online sites exists yet, though the bill would add enforcement measures.
Notable restrictions
- Casinos may only operate in qualifying new hotels and were historically capped at three per region
- Betting shops require an annual GRA licence tied to approved premises
- No licence exists for remote gaming platforms until the 2026 bill passes
- Gambling is otherwise unlawful under the Gambling Prevention Act
- Licensed operators are AML/CFT reporting entities
Guyana iGaming market: size, players and payments
No reliable public estimate; the government described a proliferation of hundreds of betting outlets and smartphone apps in 2025, and the Guyana Lottery Company has operated since 1996.
No participation survey; officials cite widespread app-based betting among low-income households as the reason for the 2026 reforms.
Mobile apps linked to licensed betting shops drive most betting, which the Vice President described in 2025 as gambling on demand on every phone.
Two hotel casinos (Princess and Carnival at Sleepin) plus new hotel projects seeking licences, hundreds of betting shops and the Guyana Lottery Company; the Lottery Company and the Private Sector Commission publicly backed the 2026 bill.
Timeline: how Guyana got here
- 1996Guyana Lottery Company begins operating the national lottery under a government agreement
- 2007Gambling Prevention (Amendment) Act allows casinos in new hotels with at least 150 rooms
- 2008-12Gaming Authority launched as licensing and AML supervisory body
- 2010First licensed casino opens at the Princess Hotel; a second opens in 2020
- 2024Government signals amendments to allow more hotel casinos as new hotels are built
- 2025-10Vice President announces stricter regulation and higher taxes on betting shops and online gambling
- 2026-07Gaming Authority Bill 2026 tabled in the National Assembly, covering remote gaming platforms
Outlook
The Gaming Authority Bill 2026 is the decisive development: it would create a new Guyana Gaming Authority, license remote gaming platforms for the first time, impose new taxes and add responsible-gaming and AML duties, and was expected to go to a Special Select Committee and debate from October 2026. Watch the final tax rates, whether betting shop operators are allowed to migrate online, and how the casino cap is handled as new hotels open. Until the law passes, online gambling remains outside any licence.
Launching in Guyana with GameBridge
Model decided with counsel. Guyana has no remote gaming licence yet and a bill that would create one was before Parliament in September 2026, so GameBridge excludes Guyana by default and works with prospective licensees on a consult basis until the framework is law.
Guyana is excluded by default in GameBridge geo lists and this page records why. For a betting shop operator or hotel casino preparing for the remote gaming licence proposed in the Gaming Authority Bill 2026, GameBridge provides the technical dossier and compliance design a new regulator is likely to require: identity and age verification, responsible-gaming limits and self-exclusion, AML monitoring and reporting, and game certification packages. If a licence is granted, the brand would run in English with a GYD wallet, geolocation limited to Guyana, mobile money and bank connections on request through the operator's providers, and a sportsbook led by cricket, football and horse racing. Nothing is configured for Guyanese residents before the law and licence exist.
- Guyana excluded by default in geo lists
- English site language and GYD wallet for a future licensee
- Identity, age and self-exclusion controls designed for the proposed framework
- AML monitoring and reporting aligned to Gaming Authority supervision
- Mobile money and bank connections on request
- Certification packages for GameBridge Studios and Originals releases
No content is offered to Guyanese residents by default; a cricket- and football-led sportsbook with slots and virtual games would be prepared for a licensee once the remote gaming regime exists.
Frequently asked questions
Is online gambling legal in Guyana?
How do I get a gambling licence in Guyana?
What is the gambling tax in Guyana?
Are casinos legal in Guyana?
Does GameBridge serve operators in Guyana?
Sources and review
Reviewed against the sources below on 11 September 2026. Regulation changes; confirm the current position with local counsel before launch.
- Gaming Authority of Guyana — licensing of betting shops and casinos — Gaming Authority of Guyana, accessed 2026-09-11
- Betting Shop Licence — requirements and fee — Guyana Revenue Authority, accessed 2026-09-11
- Gambling Prevention (Amendment) Act No. 5 of 2007 — Parliament of Guyana, accessed 2026-09-11
- Gov't tables Gaming Authority Bill following calls from religious community for stronger gambling controls — Department of Public Information, Guyana, accessed 2026-09-11
- Government introduces Bill to curb online betting and tighten regulations around gambling shops — News Source Guyana, accessed 2026-09-11
- Gov't to crack down on online gambling, betting shops — Demerara Waves, accessed 2026-09-11
- Gaming operators pitch online shift as Govt moves to tighten rules on gambling shops — Guyana Times, accessed 2026-09-11
- 2022 Population and Housing Census results — Bureau of Statistics, Guyana, accessed 2026-09-11
Regulatory summaries are provided for orientation only and are not legal advice. Licensing requirements change; we validate them with you during scoping.