Legal Gambling Age Guide: Casino, Poker, and Sports Betting

Gambling has been around for centuries and offers thrills, excitement and life changing fortunes. Whether you’re sitting at a poker table, spinning a roulette wheel or placing a bet on your favourite team, gambling is a global pastime that knows no borders. But when it comes to the legal side of things one question always pops up: How old do i have to be to go to a casino?

The answer isn’t as simple as you might think. Different countries and even regions within countries have their own rules and it can vary depending on the type of gambling. You might be old enough to place a sports bet in one place but too young to sit at a blackjack table in another.

In this guide we’ll tell you about legal gambling age in diverse GEOs. And this article can be useful to you, whether you’re a curious traveller, a gambler looking to stay on the right side of the law or just someone interested in how the rules differ across cultures.

What is the Legal Gambling Age?

A casino minimum age is usually determined by the countries’ governments and means that you can or not participate in gambling activities such as casino games, poker, sports betting and lotteries online or offline. This age varies greatly around the world depending on local laws, culture and type of activities. Most countries have a legal age of 18 or 21 but there are exceptions that reflect the unique regulatory environment of each region.

When can you gamble? Let’s take a look at the Gambling laws in:

1. Europe;
2. USA;
3. Asia;
4. LATAM;
5. Africa;
6. Canada;
7. Australia and Oceania.

Note: The data is current for spring 2025. We recommend you double-check the information in the official sources of the selected country in order to avoid misunderstandings.

Europe

In Europe, age requirements vary from country to country because their authorities independently adopt laws regarding gambling. It’s usually legally gamble at the age of 18 or 21.

USA

In this case, it’s necessary to look through Gambling age by state. So, make sure that you understand the legal betting limits in that state or you can face fines for underage gambling

Asia

In Asia, age restrictions regarding land-based casinos as well as online poker are stricter. Therefore, diverse forms of gambling and betting are prohibited in many countries. 

LATAM

In countries of Latin America, the minimum gambling age is usually 18 years old.

Africa

In Africa, the Gambling minimum age is 18 or 21. In Nigeria, the age limit is 20. Gambling and Sports Betting are illegal in Algeria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Libya, Mauritania,
Somalia, and Sudan, while there is no age limits in Tunisia, South Sudan, Guinea-Bissau,
Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea.

Canada

In Canada, the minimum age for offline and online Gambling is 19. However, it varies by province. For example, in Quebec, Manitoba, and Alberta, you can gamble at just 18.

Australia and Oceania

In Oceania, the typical gambling age is usually 18, including Australia. The only exception is in New Zealand, where you need to be 20 to enter offline and online casinos.

In Papua New Guinea, there’s no official legal age for gambling. In the Federated States of Micronesia, it varies by state law. Meanwhile, gambling is illegal in the Marshall Islands and Tokelau.