Is online gambling legal in Belize?
Belize was marketed for years as a low-cost online gambling licence, but the government stated on 9 June 2025 that it had a moratorium on issuing online gaming licences, that no online gaming company was licensed to operate from Belize and that any site claiming a Belize licence must cease and desist. Land-based casinos remain licensed by the Gaming Control Board under the Gaming Control Act (Chapter 152), and government lotteries run through a Lotteries Committee. The Gaming and Lotteries Control Act, 2026 (Act No. 3 of 2026) repeals and consolidates the Gambling Prevention Act, the Computer Wagering Licensing Act, the Lotteries Control Act and the Gaming Control Act and establishes a Gaming and Lotteries Commission; reports on the bill describe a US$500,000 deposit and local-substance requirements for licensees. Whether and when the Commission will accept online applications had not been announced as of September 2026.
| Vertical | Status in Belize |
|---|---|
| Online casino | Regulated |
| Sports betting | Restricted |
| Online poker | Restricted |
| Lottery | Monopoly |
| Social casino (free to play) | Unclear |
Restricted: Online gambling is prohibited for operators or licensing is closed; enforcement varies.
Who regulates gambling in Belize?
- Gaming Control Board (to be succeeded by the Gaming and Lotteries Commission under the 2026 Act) (GCB) — Licenses and inspects gaming under the Gaming Control Act; the Investment Policy and Compliance Unit of the Ministry of Investment processes applications on its behalf and acts as secretariat to the Lotteries Committee
- Ministry of Finance, Investment, Economic Transformation, Civil Aviation and E-Governance — Issued the June 2025 notice on the online licensing moratorium and handles enquiries on the online gaming regime
Belize gambling licence: how it works
No online gaming licence can currently be obtained. The Ministry of Investment's notice of 9 June 2025 confirmed a moratorium on issuing online gaming licences, stated that no online gaming companies were licensed to operate from Belize and warned that operations claiming a Belize licence are unauthorized and illegal. Under the earlier framework, online licensees were in any case barred from offering betting to Belize residents and had to keep servers in Belize. Land-based casino licences continue under the Gaming Control Act through the Gaming Control Board, with fit-and-proper checks on owners and AML obligations. The Gaming and Lotteries Control Act, 2026 consolidates the four earlier statutes under a new Gaming and Lotteries Commission with licensing, audit, technical-standards and enforcement functions; secondary sources describing the bill cite a US$500,000 deposit, mandatory local staff and management, stronger AML monitoring and regular reporting. The Commission's fee schedule, commencement of the online provisions and any lifting of the moratorium should be confirmed directly with the Ministry of Investment before relying on Belize as a licence route.
What an applicant needs
- Online licences: not available under the moratorium; requirements under the 2026 Act awaited publication
- Reported 2026 Act conditions: substantial deposit, employees and management functions in Belize, AML and KYC policies, transaction monitoring and periodic reporting
- Land-based casinos: Gaming Control Board licence with fit-and-proper vetting of owners and operators and AML compliance
- Historic online rule: no betting services to Belize residents and servers located in Belize
Gambling taxes in Belize
- Operators: Not published for online gaming under the 2026 Act. Historic online licences carried a turnover-based levy that service providers quoted at 0.75%; that figure is unverified against current law. Belize levies business tax on gross receipts at sector-specific rates in place of a conventional income tax for most companies; casino rates should be confirmed with counsel.
- Players: Not published; historic provider summaries mention withholding on payouts but no current rule could be verified.
- Also: General sales tax of 12.5% applies to most goods and services. The Belize dollar is pegged at BZ$2 to US$1.
Advertising, player protection, KYC and payments
Advertising
No online products are licensed, so no advertising code applies to them; the government has publicly warned internet users against sites claiming a Belize licence. Casino and lottery advertising follows general law.
Responsible gaming
No statutory online framework is in force. The 2026 Act, as described in coverage of the bill, gives the new Commission responsibility for responsible gaming, game fairness and player protection standards.
Identity and age verification
Casinos and, under the 2026 Act, all licensees fall under Belize's Money Laundering and Terrorism (Prevention) Act with customer due diligence, monitoring and reporting to the Financial Intelligence Unit; Belize also passed updated money laundering legislation in 2026.
Payments
No rules for online gambling payments exist locally. Cards, bank transfers and cash are the everyday rails; the Belize dollar is pegged to the US dollar and crypto is not addressed by gaming law.
Notable restrictions
- Moratorium on online gaming licences; no online operator is licensed from Belize
- Sites claiming a Belize online licence have been ordered to cease and desist
- Historic online licences could not serve Belize residents
- Casino licences require Gaming Control Board approval and AML compliance
- Government lotteries are reserved to the Lotteries Committee
Belize iGaming market: size, players and payments
No reliable public estimate; Belize's population is about 400,000 and its relevance to operators was as a licensing base, which the 2025 moratorium removed for now.
A small number of licensed casinos in Belize City, San Pedro and the Corozal Free Zone, government lotteries through the Lotteries Committee, and no licensed online operator.
Timeline: how Belize got here
- 2020Gaming Control Act consolidated as Chapter 152 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020
- 2025-06Government notice of 9 June confirms a moratorium on online gaming licences; the Gaming and Lotteries Control Bill is introduced in the House on 27 June and referred to committee
- 2025-09House defers the bill's second reading to a later date
- 2025-11Senate holds the Gaming and Lotteries Control Bill for further examination in Committee of the Whole after oversight concerns
- 2026-01Gaming and Lotteries Control Act, 2026 published as Act No. 3 of 2026
Outlook
The 2026 Act gives Belize a modern single regulator on paper, but its value to online operators depends on three things that were unresolved in September 2026: commencement of the online licensing provisions, publication of the Commission's fees and standards, and a formal end to the moratorium. Senators pressed for mandatory audits and community input on licensing during the bill's passage, so expect a slower, higher-substance regime than the one marketed before 2025. Verify status with the Ministry of Investment before any planning.
Launching in Belize with GameBridge
Model decided with counsel. Belize is not currently issuing online gaming licences and has said no online operator is licensed from the country, so GameBridge cannot recommend it as a licence route until the new Commission opens applications; operators that once relied on Belize paperwork need a licence from another jurisdiction.
Belize is excluded in GameBridge geo-controls by default, and no brand is configured on the basis of a Belize licence while the moratorium stands. For groups with historic Belize entities, GameBridge supports migration to a recognized licence with multi-currency wallets, geo lists that match the new licence, KYC before play, responsible-gaming limits and AML case management, and the compliance dossier documents the licensing jurisdiction and payment rails for banks and processors. If the Gaming and Lotteries Commission opens online licensing, the platform can be configured to its published standards, with certification packages for GameBridge Studios and Originals.
- Geo allow and deny lists with Belize excluded by default
- Migration support from legacy paperwork to a recognized licence
- Multi-currency wallets and English or Spanish site languages
- KYC before play and AML case management
- Compliance dossier for banks and payment partners
Content is curated to the operator's actual licensing regulator; the aggregated catalog and GameBridge Studios exclusives ship certification-ready for that regulator's test house.
Frequently asked questions
Is online gambling legal in Belize?
Can I still get a Belize online gaming licence?
What does Belize's Gaming and Lotteries Control Act, 2026 do?
What is the gambling tax in Belize?
Is a Belize licence accepted by banks and payment providers?
How does GameBridge treat Belize?
Sources and review
Reviewed against the sources below on 11 September 2026. Regulation changes; confirm the current position with local counsel before launch.
- Notice: Illegal online gaming activity and misinformation (9 June 2025) — Ministry of Finance, Investment, Economic Transformation, Civil Aviation and E-Governance, Belize, accessed 2026-09-11
- Notice: illegal online gaming activity and misinformation, Jun 9, 2025 — Investment Policy and Compliance Unit, Government of Belize, accessed 2026-09-11
- Acts of Parliament 2026 (Act No. 3 of 2026, Gaming and Lotteries Control Act, 2026) — National Assembly of Belize, accessed 2026-09-11
- Parliament in Action: highlights from the 11th of November special sitting of the Senate — National Assembly of Belize, accessed 2026-09-11
- Belize's Gaming Bill faces scrutiny amid oversight scandals — Greater Belize Media, accessed 2026-09-11
- Government of Belize warns: no online gaming licenses currently issued — Breaking Belize News, accessed 2026-09-11
- Belize gambling law 2025: why obtaining a license has become more difficult and expensive — Jurisprudential Consulting Group, 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.