Online casino markets
What it takes to launch in each market — the licence it requires, the tax, the language players expect, the payment methods they use and the verticals that carry it. Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the CIS.
Market guides
Which markets can a new online casino launch in?
In Latin America, Mexico, Colombia and Peru are regulated and open, each with its own licence; Brazil banned online betting and casino games on 25 September 2026. In Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana license online casino locally — by state in Nigeria, with local ownership required in Kenya and Ghana — while South Africa allows only online sports betting. In Asia, only the Philippines licenses online casino, for players inside the country; India and Japan ban it. In Europe, the UK and Germany license online casino under strict rules, Italy's concessions are taken until the next tender, and France and Poland keep it closed to private operators; in the CIS, Ukraine and Belarus license it, while Russia and Kazakhstan ban it.
Every market decides for itself who may serve its players. Where a local licence is required, an offshore licence does not replace it — and in a market that has banned online gaming, nothing does. Payment methods follow the same logic: the local rails players expect are offered by payment providers, and which of them will work with a brand depends mostly on its licence.
Licensing is the operator's responsibility and depends on the markets they serve. WW Games does not hold or sublicense a gambling licence, and can put operators in touch with licensing providers. On the platform side, crypto is connected with every launch; the storefront language and local payment methods are added for the market as part of setup, the latter when a provider agrees to work with the brand. Offshore jurisdictions are compared on licensing.
| Market | Status and licence | Tax on operators | Language | Popular payments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | Open; SEGOB permit under the 1947 gaming law, no standalone online licence | IEPS 50% since 1 January 2026 | Spanish | SPEI, OXXO cash, cards |
| Colombia | Open; concession contract with Coljuegos | 15% of GGR (17% of gross income below 83% payout) plus a fixed annual payment | Spanish | PSE, Nequi, Daviplata, Efecty cash |
| Peru | Open; MINCETUR authorisation under Law 31557, six years | 12% of net income | Spanish | Yape, Plin, PagoEfectivo, cards |
| Brazil | Closed; online betting and casino banned by MP 1.394 of 25 September 2026 | — | Portuguese | Pix, cards, boleto |
| Nigeria | Open; state licences since the 2024 Supreme Court ruling — Lagos, FCT or the FSGRN certificate | Annual state fees plus levies on GGR | English | Bank transfers, cards, USSD, OPay, PalmPay |
| Kenya | Open; GRA online casino licence, Kenyan company with 30% Kenyan ownership | 5% excise on deposits, 20% on winnings, tax on GGR | English, Swahili | M-Pesa |
| Ghana | Open; Gaming Commission licence, Ghanaian company with 10% Ghanaian shareholding | 20% of GGR | English | MTN MoMo and other mobile money |
| South Africa | Online casino illegal; online sports betting only, with a provincial bookmaker licence | Provincial betting taxes | English | Instant EFT, cards, vouchers |
| Philippines | Open to players in the country; PAGCOR licence, Philippine company; offshore POGO banned | Share of GGR, minimum ₱9 million a month with e-casino | English, Filipino | GCash, Maya, bank transfers |
| India | Closed; all online money games banned since 1 May 2026, payments blocked | — | Hindi, English | UPI, cards |
| Japan | Closed; online casino illegal, operating and promoting banned since September 2025 | — | Japanese | — |
| United Kingdom | Open; Gambling Commission remote licence required for British players | Remote gaming duty 40% from April 2026 | English | Debit cards, PayPal, open banking |
| Germany | Open for slots and poker; GGL licence, strict stake and deposit limits; table games mostly closed | 5.3% of stakes | German | PayPal, SEPA, cards |
| France | Closed to online casino; ANJ licenses only betting and poker | — | French | Cards, bank transfers, PayPal |
| Italy | Closed to new entrants; 52 ADM concessions awarded to 2034, skins banned | — | Italian | PostePay, cards, PayPal |
| Poland | Closed; online casino a state monopoly, private betting licences only | 12% of betting turnover | Polish | BLIK, Przelewy24 |
| Russia | Closed; online casino illegal, only licensed bookmakers online | — | Russian | Mir cards, SBP |
| Ukraine | Open; PlayCity licence, Ukrainian company with UAH 30 million capital | 18% of GGR plus corporate tax | Ukrainian | Ukrainian bank cards |
| Kazakhstan | Closed; online casino banned, only local bookmakers online | — | Kazakh, Russian | Kaspi.kz, cards |
| Belarus | Open; Ministry of Taxes licence for a virtual gambling establishment | Gambling tax | Russian, Belarusian | Bank cards, ERIP |