Is online gambling legal in Costa Rica?

The government does not actively prosecute individual players for using offshore sites. Winnings are tax-free for residents, and you must be 18.

Online gambling is not regulated here (online casino, sports betting and online poker grey/partial). Offshore sites are reachable, but if something goes wrong you may have no one to complain to.

Online sports betting is only partly legal in Costa Rica (partial). Online casino is not regulated: no Costa Rica licence exists for it, and sites offering it operate without one. Online poker is not regulated: no Costa Rica licence exists for it, and sites offering it operate without one. The lottery is legal on sites licensed in Costa Rica.

Using a VPN to reach gambling sites from Costa Rica: Legal.

Gambling with crypto: Allowed.

You must be 18 to gamble online in Costa Rica, for online casino, sports betting and lottery alike.

Costa Rican residents pay no tax on gambling winnings from any source. A 2020 proposal to introduce a tax on lottery prizes was formally archived by the legislature in 2022.

Rate: 0% for residents

0 (Online Unregulated) / ~200 (Data-Processing Entities Registered) in Costa Rica, as of 18 Jun 2026.

Always verify a casino holds a valid Junta de Protección Social (JPS) (state monopoly operator for domestic lottery & sports betting); Ministry of Public Security (land-based casinos); Municipal authorities (issue commercial 'data-processing certificates' to offshore-facing online operators). licence before depositing.

Junta de Protección Social (JPS) (state monopoly operator for domestic lottery & sports betting); Ministry of Public Security (land-based casinos); Municipal authorities (issue commercial 'data-processing certificates' to offshore-facing online operators).'s website

Prominent operators in Costa Rica

If a site isn't on the regulator's licensee register, ask the regulator before you play: an unlisted site is usually not licensed here (a register can lag behind a new licence). An unlicensed site is outside the regulator's supervision, so you cannot complain to the regulator about it.

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  Differentiate the State Monopoly from Offshore Sites

  Understand that only lottery and sports betting products offered directly by the Junta de Protección Social (JPS) are legally sanctioned for Costa Rican residents. Any other site, even if it says it's 'based in Costa Rica,' is an unregulated offshore operator.

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  Check for Secure and Reputable Payment Methods

  Before depositing, ensure the site offers well-known, secure international payment options like Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, or Neteller. Be cautious of sites that only offer obscure or cryptocurrency-only payment methods.

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  Review the Operator's International Reputation

  Since there is no local regulator to vet them, research the reputation of any Costa Rica-based operator through international player forums and review sites before playing. A long history of positive reviews is a better indicator of safety than their corporate registration in Costa Rica.

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  Look for Responsible Gambling Tools

  Reputable operators, even without a regulatory requirement, will offer responsible gambling tools like deposit limits, session timers, and self-exclusion options. The absence of these tools is a major red flag.

What you can expect from a licensed site's offers in Costa Rica. The rules operators must follow are on the operator page.

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   1. Complain to the Operator

   For any issue with an offshore-facing operator based in Costa Rica, the only recourse is the operator's own customer service department. There is no government body to appeal to.

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   2. Complain to the JPS (Domestic Monopoly Only)

   For disputes related to the official national lottery or the JPS's legal sports betting products, players can file a formal complaint with the Junta de Protección Social.

   JPS Official Website

• Myth

  Online casinos are licensed and regulated in Costa Rica.
  Reality

  This is false. The government does not issue online gambling licences. Companies operating from the country hold a 'data-processing certificate,' which is a business permit, not a gambling licence, and they are legally forbidden from serving Costa Rican citizens. You have no local consumer protection.

• Myth

  My winnings will be taxed.
  Reality

  This is false. All gambling winnings, whether from the national lottery or offshore sites, are 100% tax-free for residents of Costa Rica.

• Myth

  It's illegal for me to play on an offshore website.
  Reality

  The law focuses on prohibiting Costa Rica-based companies from serving locals. While the government does not authorize these sites for local play, it does not actively prosecute individual players for accessing them, which creates a 'grey market' environment.