🇵🇬For operators · Tax, marketing & compliance
Operating in Papua New Guinea: ad limits and compliance
Land-based gaming machines and lotteries are licensed. Online gambling is legally permitted but no local licences have been issued, so offshore operators serve the market.
OverviewOverview built from public sources. An in-depth review of Papua New Guinea is available on request. Request it
Product by product
| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| Online betting · Online casino · Online poker | Not confirmed |
| Lottery | Licensed |
Regulator and player protection in Papua New Guinea
Regulator
National Gaming Control Board (NGCB)
Application authority and enforcement body
Mandatory RG controls
No limit imposed on players
Deposit limits or reality checks the law requires operators to offer
Advertising stance
Limited
Whether you can run TV / sponsorship / paid-social campaigns
Heads-up for operators
4 items
Major Casino Plans Face Public Backlash
Proposals for a major casino project in Port Moresby sparked widespread warnings from social and religious leaders about the potential for addiction and social harm. Gambling expansion is contentious.
Online Market Remains Unlicensed
Despite the 2007 Act, the NGCB has focused exclusively on land-based licensing (pokies, lotteries) and has never issued a single licence for online casino or sports betting.
Source: 1
A new Gaming Control Bill (variously referred to as 2023 and 2025) is progressing. Approved by the NGCB, it awaits ministerial review before being tendered to Parliament to modernise the entire regulatory framework, including online gaming.
Show all 4Show fewer
New Gaming Control Bill Awaits Progress
A new, modern Gaming Control Bill (referred to as both 2023 and 2025 versions) is progressing through governmental review. It aims to update the entire regulatory framework, including for online gaming.
Source: 2
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 Papua New Guinea
3 licence types are listed for Papua New Guinea; each says who issues it and what it covers.
| Licence | Regulator | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaming Machine Operator Licence | NGCB | Three years | |
| Lottery Concession | NGCB | Statutory | |
| Bingo / Raffle Permit | NGCB | Annual |
Licensing model
Papua New Guinea has a 'ghost law' framework for online gambling. The Gaming Control Act 2007 created a legal basis for the NGCB to issue online casino and sports betting licences, but the regulator has never done so. The law may have originally intended to prohibit licensed operators from targeting PNG citizens, but practice has shifted to tolerate residents accessing offshore sites. The result is a de facto unregulated market.
Gambling tax and fees in Papua New Guinea
Detail
Operators of gaming machines (pokies) pay a 55% tax on gross profit, with the first K2,500 per site exempt. For sports betting, a 15% Bookmaker Turnover Tax applies to the gross bet amount and is payable by the punter.
The Gaming Control Act 2007 also specifies a 20% tax on gross profits for any future licensed online operators, though none currently exist.
Year-1 cost: fee schedule not yet published
As no online licences are issued, compliance costs are theoretical for online operators and actual for land-based entities. The primary costs are tax-based rather than fee-based.
| Line item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Online Licence Application Fee | no published fee schedule | The NGCB has never initiated an online licensing process, so no fee structure exists. |
| Online Licence Annual Fee | no published fee schedule | No online licences have ever been issued. |
| Operator Tax (Online) | 20% of Gross Profit Source3 | Stipulated in the Gaming Control Act 2007 for future licensees. Not currently collected. |
| Operator Tax (Gaming Machines) | 55% of Gross Profit | A K2,500 exemption per site applies. |
| Operator Tax (Bookmakers) | 15% of Turnover Source6 | Levied on the gross amount of the bet. |
Year 1 estimate
Year 1 cannot be totalled: gov fee schedule not published
No official fee schedule for licensing has been published by the NGCB.
Which foreign licences Papua New Guinea accepts
All 8 foreign licences listed here are tolerated in Papua New Guinea.
ToleratedMalta (MGA) · United Kingdom (UKGC) · Curaçao · Alderney (AGCC) · Kahnawake (KGC) · Anjouan · Isle of Man (GSC) · Gibraltar (GRA)
No ISP or payment blocking is in place against offshore operators. Players are not penalised for accessing foreign sites.
Bonus rules: welcome bonuses allowed
Inducement ads: Allowed
The regulatory framework in Papua New Guinea lacks specific, publicly available regulations for iGaming bonuses and promotions. The Gaming Control Act 2007 focuses on licensing and prohibiting illegal operations, and the regulator directs its attention at the black market rather than marketing standards for licensees.
What the player can claim
- Welcome bonus
- Allowed
- VIP schemes
- Allowed
- Loyalty schemes
- Allowed
- Cashback
- Allowed
The general legality of online gambling implies bonuses are permitted, as no specific provisions in the Gaming Control Act 2007 or other public documents restrict or ban them.
What the operator can advertise
- Penalties
Up to 5,000 PGK fine or imprisonment for involvement in illegal, unlicensed gambling activities.
There are no documented enforcement incidents against licensed operators for bonus or advertising violations. The regulator's public warnings are focused on unlicensed foreign sites and illegal local games.
How Papua New Guinea enforces against unlicensed operators
Enforcement in Papua New Guinea is low and inconsistent, particularly for the online sector. The National Gaming Control Board (NGCB) focuses on the licensed land-based industry and has not taken action like ISP or payment blocking against offshore sites. However, there is active debate and social concern over gambling expansion, which suggests potential for future regulatory shifts.
- 2007-Present: The NGCB has never issued an online gambling licence despite having the legal authority to do so under the Gaming Control Act 2007.
- 2021: Plans for the country's first major casino project triggered significant public warnings from religious and social groups about potential negative impacts, which indicates a high level of social scrutiny on the industry.
- Ongoing: The Bank of Papua New Guinea actively and publicly warns citizens against using cryptocurrency, a common deposit method for offshore sites, due to high scam risks.
Enforcement cases in Papua New Guinea: 5 recent
Material regulator actions, court rulings, and high-profile fines from 2016–2026 against operators serving Papua New Guinea. Each entry includes the technical failure and a one-line read-across for other operators in the market.
- September 2025
National Gaming Control Board (NGCB)
OtherCEO committed to trialThe CEO, Imelda Agon, was committed to stand trial on charges of abusing her office and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Read-across: This prosecution of the head of the regulatory body indicates significant instability and potential for unpredictable regulatory actions, which affect all licensed operators.
- October 2024
Paga Hill Development Company
LicensingLicense validity questionedThe Opposition Leader revealed that the NGCB's CEO had formally advised that the provisional casino license for the Paga Hill casino was invalid and outdated.
Read-across: The public questioning of a major, government-endorsed casino license creates uncertainty about the security and reliability of all gambling licenses in the country.
- February 2022
Unnamed foreign nationals
Grey-MarketArrests and crackdownPNG Immigration and police, in partnership with the NGCB, arrested 30 foreign nationals for running an illegal cock-fighting ring.
Read-across: This joint operation signals a heightened focus on enforcement against all forms of illegal and unlicensed gambling, increasing the risk for any grey-market activities.
- June 2021
National Gaming Control Board (NGCB)
OtherGovernance concerns raisedTransparency International PNG raised serious concerns about the regulator's independence after it co-signed an MOU to build and operate a casino with a private company.
Read-across: The regulator's direct commercial interest in a casino operation compromises its impartiality and creates a risk of biased regulatory treatment for competing operators.
- June 2020
Foreign online operators
Grey-MarketPublic warning and call for blocksThe NGCB issued a public warning about unauthorized foreign online gambling sites and urged ISPs and banks to help address the issue.
Read-across: This official warning indicates a potential move towards more active measures like ISP and payment blocking, which raises the operational risk for offshore operators targeting PNG.
Market size: 0.03B USD (2025)
Gross gaming revenue in Papua New Guinea is approximately 30 million USD annually. The most popular form of gambling is Gaming machines (pokies). Online gambling represents 5% of total GGR. A culturally distinctive product in this market is Gaming machines, PNG National Lotteries.
Market breakdown by vertical
- Land-based0.0135B USD45.0%
- Sports betting0.0105B USD35.0%
- Casino0.0015B USD5.0%
- Lottery0.0045B USD15.0%
Source: H2 Gambling Capital Global Tracker. Splits: online-casino 5.0%, sports 35.0%, land-based 45.0%, lottery 15.0%.
GGR figure11
Licensed operators: ~12
As of 18 Jun 2026, approximately 12 operators hold an active licence in Papua New Guinea. Size your entry against this base before committing capital.
Notable licensed operators
Hukurangi Gaming
Gaming Machine Group
Bay Concept Gaming
JAS Gaming
Traps operators hit in Papua New Guinea
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 the 'Ghost Law' Framework
The Gaming Control Act 2007 legally allows for online gambling licences, but the regulator (NGCB) has never issued one. This creates a high-risk grey market where the legal basis could change unpredictably, with possible sudden enforcement or the introduction of a restrictive licensing regime.
Intense Social and Political Scrutiny
There is significant public and political opposition to the expansion of gambling, particularly casinos, because of concerns about social harm. Operators may face strong negative sentiment and reputational risk, which influences future regulatory decisions and makes market entry challenging.
Sources12
Lack of Official Regulatory Channels
The National Gaming Control Board does not maintain a functioning public website. The absence of official online resources makes it hard for operators to get information on licensing processes, regulatory guidance, or future policy direction.
Sources13
Timeline: rules in force
- 2017
Bookmaker Turnover Tax Introduced
A 15% turnover tax on the gross amount of a bet was implemented for bookmakers, replacing previous stamp duties.
Source: 6
- 2007
Gaming Control Act Establishes Framework
The Gaming Control Act 2007 was passed. It established the National Gaming Control Board (NGCB) and created a legal basis to license both land-based and online gambling.
Source: 3
Operator myths vs reality in Papua New Guinea
Common assumptions about gambling licensing that turn out to be wrong in practice.
- MythPapua New Guinea has no law for online gambling.Reality
This is false. The Gaming Control Act 2007 explicitly created a legal framework for the National Gaming Control Board (NGCB) to issue online gambling licences. The law exists, but the regulator has not acted to implement it.
Sources3
- MythOperating offshore means there are no local taxes to consider.Reality
While offshore operators are not subject to the 20% GGR tax intended for licensees, the 15% Bookmaker Turnover Tax is charged on the punter's bet amount. This directly affects the cost and attractiveness of the product for PNG customers.
Sources6
- MythThe unregulated online market is a stable, long-term opportunity.Reality
The market is unstable. The existence of a 'ghost law' and a pending new Gaming Control Bill means the government could decide to regulate, license, or block the market at any time. Strong social opposition to gambling adds to the regulatory risk.
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 Papua New Guinea
Documents cited on this page
Looking for the player guide?
For consumer-facing information about gambling in Papua New Guinea (tax on winnings, where to play legally, self-exclusion options), see the Papua New Guinea player guide.
Disclaimer. This page reflects the law as we understood it on 18 Jun 2026. Rules change: always check the current position with National Gaming Control Board (NGCB). We are not a legal adviser.