Skip to content
GamblingMapsBeta
🇫🇲For operators

Micronesia for operators: no online regime

No online regulationUnregulatedUnregulated: online casino, sports betting, poker. Limited: lottery.Updated Overview built from public sources, last updated 2 Jun 2026. In-depth review to follow.RestrictedMost online gambling is banned, limited to a state operator or tightly restricted.
Quick AI overviewAI overview

How this page was researched

  1. Quick AI overview

    An AI summary of public information, not yet checked against the law or the regulator. Treat it as a starting point.

  2. Deep AI ScanNot run yet

    Every question of our checklist answered from official documents only. Ask us to run it for Micronesia.

  3. Checked by our research team
  4. Compliance review
  5. Expert review
How we research
PlayersOperators

Micronesia has no national gambling laws, leaving online gambling in an unregulated grey area. No state-level licensing exists, so all operators are offshore and unrecognised.

OverviewOverview built from public sources. An in-depth review of Micronesia is available on request. Request it

Active licensees~0Licence term—

Product by product

Online gambling products in Micronesia: status, licence, tax and rules
ProductStatus
Online betting · Online casino · Online pokerUnregulated
LotteryLimited

Regulator and player protection in Micronesia

Mandatory RG controls
No limit imposed on players
Deposit limits or reality checks the law requires operators to offer
Advertising stance
Banned or near-banned
Whether you can run TV / sponsorship / paid-social campaigns

Heads-up for operators

2 items

  1. Note

    No active legislation is pending. A 2018 bill to create a licensed online gambling market in Chuuk State passed the Senate but did not become law, which indicates past legislative interest.

  2. Proposed

    No Active Legislation to Regulate Gambling

    As of 2026, there are no active bills or formal government proposals in any of the four states to establish a framework for licensing or regulating land-based or online gambling.

    Source: 1

Not yet in force: drafts, laws adopted without a start date, and sections of the law still to be commenced. An item moves to the timeline below on the day it takes effect.

Licence Types in Micronesia

LicenceRegulatorTermNotes
No regulated gambling——
Licensing model
No licensing framework is active. However, past legislative proposals indicate a preference for high-cost, limited-licence models. A 2018 Chuuk State bill proposed a $1.2m annual fee, while Pohnpei has considered tying a casino licence exclusively to a specific resort development.

Gambling tax and fees in Micronesia

Detail

No meaningful legal gambling industry.

Year-1 cost: Not Applicable

As there is no legal framework for licensing or regulating gambling in the Federated States of Micronesia, there are no official compliance costs for operators.

Line itemAmountNotes
Licensing & ComplianceNot Applicable

Source12

FSM and its four states (Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae) have not established a licensing regime for any form of commercial gambling. Therefore, there are no application fees, annual fees, or GGR taxes.
Year 1 estimate
Not Applicable

No regulated market exists.

Which foreign licences Micronesia accepts

Micronesia recognises none of these 8 foreign licences.

BlockedMalta (MGA) · United Kingdom (UKGC) · Gibraltar (GRA) · Isle of Man (GSC) · Curaçao · Kahnawake (KGC) · Anjouan (AGB) · Alderney (AGCC)

FSM has no legal framework to recognise, ban, or block offshore licences. Online gambling is not specifically addressed in national law, so it sits in a grey area. Operators are accessible but offer no local player protection.

Bonus rules: welcome bonuses banned

Bonuses bannedInducement ads: Banned

Given the absence of a regulated iGaming market in Micronesia, there are no specific laws or regulations governing bonuses, promotions, or gambling advertising. The entire online gaming market is supplied by international offshore platforms.

What the player can claim
Welcome bonus
Banned

The legality and conditions of player bonuses are not defined by Micronesian law as there is no local regulation. Any available offers are from offshore operators.

What the operator can advertise

As there are no licensed operators in Micronesia, there are no regulations concerning the advertising of gambling services. There are no statutory penalties for bonus or advertising violations as no such regulations exist.

Sources3

Advertising: banned or near-banned

Gambling advertising in Micronesia (FSM) is highly restrictive because of the absence of a national regulatory framework and licensing for online gambling. Both online casino and sportsbook advertising are effectively banned across major digital platforms and traditional media, as operators cannot obtain the necessary local licenses required for compliance.

ChannelStatusVertical & Platform Split (2026)
Google Search AdsBanned

Google Ads requires per-country certification and a valid local operating license for real-money gambling advertising, which is impossible to obtain in Micronesia due to the lack of a national regulatory framework and licensing body. The March 23, 2026, policy update further mandates good policy health and second-level domain ownership by the advertiser.456

App Store PublishingBanned

Apple App Store (U+201CGuideline 5.3.4U+201D) and Google Play require valid gambling licenses for each country where real-money gambling apps are distributed and geo-restricted to those licensed locations. Micronesia is not on Google Play's whitelist for gambling apps, and no local licensing exists for real-money gambling.78

Google/Apple App Store AdsBanned

Since real-money gambling apps cannot be published in Micronesia due to the absence of a legal and licensing framework, promoted listings or Universal App Campaigns for these categories are also prohibited.78

Meta (FB/IG)Banned

Meta requires prior written permission and proof of valid gambling licenses for each targeted jurisdiction. Without a national licensing body in Micronesia, operators cannot meet this requirement. All gambling ads must not target anyone under 18.910

TV & RadioBanned

Micronesia lacks comprehensive national legislation for gambling and specific regulations for gambling advertising. The absence of licensed commercial gambling operators means advertising for such services is effectively not permitted.1112

SponsorshipsBanned

With no licensed land-based casinos or domestic online gambling operators in Micronesia, there is no legal gambling industry to engage in sponsorships. Any form of commercial gambling sponsorship is effectively prohibited due to the unregulated nature of the market.1113

Digital OOHBanned

Similar to other traditional advertising channels, the absence of a legal and regulated gambling industry and specific advertising laws for gambling in Micronesia means Digital OOH advertising for sportsbook and online casino is effectively banned.1112

Channel rules for Micronesia reflect each platform's published policy and the sources numbered in each row (listed under Methodology & sources). Verify with the local regulator and your ad-platform account manager before launching.

How Micronesia enforces against unlicensed operators

Enforcement against online gambling in Micronesia is non-existent. National and state laws do not specifically address online play, so it sits in a legal grey area. There are no reports of authorities prosecuting individual players or blocking access to offshore websites.

  • No recorded instances of player prosecution for accessing offshore gambling sites.
  • No evidence of active ISP or payment gateway blocking of gambling operators.
  • Gambling regulation is devolved to the states, none of which have established an enforcement body.

Sources12

Licensed operators: none

As of 2 Jun 2026, no operator holds an active online licence in Micronesia.

Traps operators hit in Micronesia

Specific operational risks that have caught new entrants in this market. Each item is country-specific. Generic gambling-ops issues (KYC, RG tools) are not included unless they have a local twist.

  • Navigating a Non-Existent Regulatory Framework

    There is no national or state-level licensing body. Any operation targeting Micronesia is technically unregulated and without legal standing, which creates significant reputational and legal ambiguity.

    Sources12

  • Limited Payment Infrastructure

    The FSM economy is cash-dominant, using the US Dollar. Online payment options are limited, with low credit/debit card penetration and the absence of major e-wallets like Skrill or Neteller, which complicates deposits and withdrawals.

    Sources1415

  • Uncertain Legal Future

    While currently a grey market, individual states like Chuuk and Pohnpei have previously considered highly restrictive, high-cost licensing models. The legal position could change abruptly at the state level, potentially banning or heavily taxing previously tolerated activities.

    Sources16

Timeline: rules in force

  1. February 2018

    Chuuk State Senate Passes Online Gambling Bill

    A bill to amend the 1994 prohibition and create a licensed online gambling market passed the state Senate. The proposal included a $1.2 million annual fee but ultimately did not become law.

    Source: 16

  2. 2018-Present

    Regulatory Status Quo Maintained

    Following the failed 2018 Chuuk bill, no state has successfully passed legislation to create a regulated gambling market. The sector remains unregulated at both the national and state levels.

    Source: 1

  3. 1994

    Chuuk State Prohibits Commercial Gambling

    Chuuk State Law No. 2-94-21 was enacted, which established a general prohibition on commercial gambling activities within the state.

    Source: 16

Operator myths vs reality in Micronesia

Common assumptions about gambling licensing that turn out to be wrong in practice.

  • Myth
    Micronesia is a 'black market' where operators are actively blocked.
    Reality

    Micronesia is a 'grey market,' not a black one. There is no evidence of active ISP or payment blocking. Offshore operators are accessible, and their licences are considered 'unrecognised' rather than 'banned'.

    Sources12

  • Myth
    A single national licence will eventually open the FSM market.
    Reality

    Gambling regulation is devolved to the four individual states (Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae). Any future licensing framework would be established at the state level, not the national level, meaning operators might need separate approvals for each state.

    Sources1

  • Myth
    Future regulation will create an open, competitive market.
    Reality

    Past legislative proposals, such as the 2018 Chuuk bill with its $1.2 million annual fee, suggest a preference for high-cost, limited-licence, or monopoly-style models. An open market with numerous operators is unlikely.

    Sources16

Markets that work like Micronesia

Compared on what our records hold for each country: whether online casino, betting, poker and lottery are licensed, state-run or banned, the licensing model, what the operator tax is levied on and its band, how most advertising channels are treated, and how foreign licences are treated. A point we hold for only one of the two countries counts for nothing.

  1. KiribatiAI overview

    Online casino, betting and poker unregulated; lottery limited; most ad channels banned.

  2. Equatorial GuineaAI overview

    Online casino, betting and poker unregulated; most ad channels banned; foreign licences mostly blocked.

  3. NauruAI overview
    DjiboutiAI overview
    South SudanAI overview

    Online casino, betting and poker unregulated; most ad channels banned.

Methodology & sources

This page is a Quick AI overview: a summary of public information, not yet checked against the law or the regulator. Treat it as a starting point. It has not yet been through our Deep AI Scan.

How we researchAsk us to run the Deep AI Scan for Micronesia

Documents cited on this page

  1. 1legalpilot.com
  2. 2igamingtoday.com
  3. 3iGaming Today Market Research
  4. 4Google Ads Gambling and games policy
  5. 5Running Gambling Ads on Google in 2026 - YeezyPay Blog
  6. 6Google Ads Gambling Policy: What it Means for You (2026) - Blockchain-Ads
  7. 7Fix Apple Gambling App Rejection (Guideline 5.3)
  8. 8Google Play Betting Apps: Gambling Apps Changes in Multiple Countries - CrustLab
  9. 9Meta updates ad rules for real money and social gaming - SBC Americas
  10. 10Meta Moves to Restrict Gambling Ads on Facebook and Instagram - Covers.com
  11. 11Is Gambling Legal in Micronesia? Understanding FSM's Gaming Laws - Legal Pilot
  12. 12Entertainment Law at Micronesia - Law Gratis
  13. 13Micronesia iGaming Market Research Report - iGamingToday.com
  14. 14wise.com
  15. 15payatlas.com
  16. 16tfbmicronesia.com
Looking for the player guide?
For consumer-facing information about gambling in Micronesia (tax on winnings, where to play legally, self-exclusion options), see the Micronesia player guide.
← Back to the global gambling map
ShareXFacebookLinkedIn
Report an inaccuracy on this page
Disclaimer. This page reflects the law as we understood it on 2 Jun 2026. Rules change: always check the current position with the regulator. We are not a legal adviser.