Is online gambling legal in the Cayman Islands?

No. The Gambling Act (2016 Revision) prohibits gambling and lotteries and provides no licence for any form of gambling. The CFATF records that internet-based gambling and casinos are not permitted to operate in the Islands.

Can an operator get a gaming licence in the Cayman Islands?

No. There is no gambling regulator and no licensing regime. Keeping or managing a place used for gambling, or running a public lottery, is an offence under ss.4, 20 and 21 of the Act.

Is the Cayman Islands getting a national lottery?

Possibly. Voters backed one at the 30 April 2025 referendum by 9,563 votes to 7,770, but the law has not changed. The Law Reform Commission is reviewing possible models and its report is expected in January 2027.

Can cruise ships open their casinos in Cayman waters?

No. Gambling is not permitted on any vessel in port or in the territorial sea. The Act does not apply to a Cayman-registered passenger ship in international waters on an international voyage.

Yes, in principle. Playing in a common gaming house, buying a lottery ticket, and gambling in a public place or licensed premises each carry a fine of 10 dollars or two months. Bills to raise these penalties were published in 2018 and 2022 but not enacted.

Are charity raffles allowed?

Yes. Raffles staged by churches, service organisations and voluntary associations to raise funds for their programmes are outside the Act (s.2A). Cabinet may make regulations to license raffles, but none have been made.

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Dependency

Latin America

ISO KY

Cayman Islands: gambling regulation and licensing

Part of United Kingdom

Online sports bettingProhibited
Online casinoProhibited
Online pokerProhibited
Lottery and iLotteryProhibited
Land-based (reference)Prohibited

Regulator: Not yet verified
Headline tax: Not yet verified
Licence required: Not yet verified
Last verified: 24 Sept 2026

Summary

Gambling is prohibited in the Cayman Islands, and there is no gambling regulator or licence of any kind. The Gambling Act (2016 Revision), which dates from 1964, defines gambling as playing any game of skill or chance for money. It makes it an offence to keep or manage a common gaming house, to run, sell tickets for or publish the results of a public lottery, and to gamble or bet in public places or licensed premises. Lotteries drawn abroad are covered, and buying a ticket or playing in a gaming house is an offence for the player too. The Act does not mention the internet, but the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force recorded in 2019 that gambling and casinos, whether land-based or internet-based, are not permitted to operate in the Islands. The only exceptions are fundraising raffles by churches and voluntary associations, and gambling on Cayman-registered passenger ships in international waters; cruise ship casinos must stay closed in port. Penalties are small: the heaviest is a fine of 400 dollars or twelve months in prison. A 2022 bill to raise them to as much as 20,000 dollars and four years, following a similar 2018 bill, was never enacted, although the Commissioner of Police told the 2023 select committee that illegal gambling generates 30 to 50 million Cayman dollars a year. There is no gambling tax. The change in prospect is a national lottery, which voters backed at the April 2025 referendum by 9,563 votes to 7,770. The Referendum Act did not change the law, and the Law Reform Commission's report on a lottery model is due in January 2027.

Common pitfalls

Treating the Cayman Islands as a gaming licensing hub because of its financial services industry: no gaming licence exists, and incorporation there is not an authorisation to offer gambling. Reading the 2025 referendum as having legalised a lottery: the result has not changed the law. Quoting the proposed penalties from the 2022 bill as law: it was never enacted.

Key facts

Regulator: Not yet verified
Regulator type: No dedicated regulator
Headline tax: Not yet verified
Licence required: Not yet verified
Minimum age: Not yet verified
Tax base: Not yet verified

How to get a gambling licence in the Cayman Islands

Online casino and online sports betting are prohibited in the Cayman Islands, so no licence currently permits offering them. The licensing regime as recorded is set out below.

The Cayman Islands has no dedicated gambling regulator.

Built from the record on this page, last verified 24 Sept 2026. The Licensing and Taxation sections carry the full detail and sources.

Legal framework

Primary statutes

Gambling Act (2016 Revision)
Year
1964
In force
Yes
Summary
The general prohibition, originally Cap. 60 of 1964. Defines gambling, common gaming houses, lotteries and unlawful gaming; makes it an offence to keep or manage a gaming house, run or promote a public lottery, sell or buy lottery tickets, publish lottery results or invite others to gamble; voids contracts for lottery tickets and makes money paid for them recoverable; gives police search, seizure and arrest powers. Exempts charity raffles and Cayman-registered passenger ships in international waters. Published as the Gambling Law (2016 Revision) and now cited as an Act.
Referendum (Cruise Berthing Infrastructure, Gambling and Cannabis) Act, 2025 (Act 1 of 2025)
Year
2025
In force
Yes
Summary
Made under section 69 of the Constitution to hold a referendum on three matters of national importance, including whether a National Lottery should be legalised. The question put was "Do you support the introduction of a National Lottery in the Islands?". The Act governs the conduct of the poll and does not itself change the Gambling Act or give the result legal effect.

Secondary instruments

Proceeds of Crime Act (2025 Revision), Schedule 1, paragraph 9A, inserted by the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order, 2022 (SL 50 of 2022)
Year
2022
In force
Yes
Summary
Makes offences under Gambling Act ss.4(a) to (d) and (h), 10, 20, 21 and 22(1)(a) and (c) lifestyle offences for criminal confiscation. Made in Cabinet on 4 November 2022.

Key amendments

29 Jun 1967Law 18 of 1967 amends the Gambling Law.
22 Oct 2015Law 20 of 2015 takes Cayman-registered passenger ships in international waters on an international voyage outside the Law, while confirming that no gambling is permitted in port or in the territorial sea. The 2016 Revision also carries the charity raffle exemption and the Cabinet power to license raffles.
2 Sept 2016Gambling Law (2016 Revision) published, replacing the 1996 Revision.
20 Dec 2022Gambling offences added to the lifestyle offences in Schedule 1 of the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Pending legislation

Gambling (Amendment) Bill, 2022
Stage
Published on 7 November 2022 and considered by a Select Committee of Parliament, which met on 18 and 19 January 2023. Not enacted: the consolidated legislation at 24 September 2026 still carries the 2016 Revision. A similar Gambling (Amendment) Bill, 2018, with maximum prison terms of three years rather than four, was published on 24 October 2018 and was not enacted either.
What it changes
Would raise the penalties throughout the Act: keeping a common gaming house or conducting a lottery to a fine of 20,000 dollars or four years (from 100 dollars), the general offences in s.4 to 10,000 dollars or four years (from 400 dollars or twelve months), and playing in a gaming house or buying a lottery ticket to 2,500 dollars or six months (from 10 dollars or two months). Sections 4, 20 and 21 would become triable either way.
National lottery (Law Reform Commission review)
Stage
Referred to the Law Reform Commission in June 2025 after the referendum. In February 2026 the Premier said a discussion paper and public consultation were expected in mid-2026 and the final report in January 2027. By 24 September 2026 the Commission had opened consultation on cannabis reform but had not published a lottery discussion paper.
Expected
Jan 2027
What it changes
Would recommend a regulatory model, governance arrangements, safeguards and harm-minimisation measures for a national lottery, and may include draft legislative amendments.

Licensing

Licence required: Not yet verified
Application window: Not yet verified
Local establishment required: Not yet verified
Local server required: Not yet verified
Barriers to entry: No gambling licence of any kind can be obtained: the Gambling Act creates offences, not permissions. Cabinet has a power to make raffle licensing regulations (s.23A), but none have been made, and charity raffles run without a licence under the s.2A exemption. Incorporating or registering a company in the Cayman Islands does not authorise it to offer gambling.

Compliance

Minimum age: Not yet verified
National self-exclusion: Not yet verified
AML regime: There is no gambling sector to supervise: the CFATF recorded in 2019 that gaming and gambling are prohibited and that there are no casino operations, so casinos are not among the supervised DNFBPs. Gambling offences under ss.4(a) to (d) and (h), 10, 20, 21 and 22(1)(a) and (c) of the Gambling Act are lifestyle offences under Schedule 1 of the Proceeds of Crime Act, and in a 2018 case the police arrested a suspected lottery ticket seller on suspicion of money laundering as well as gambling offences.
KYC requirements: Not yet verified
Stake limits: Not yet verified

Advertising

Advertising permitted: Not yet verified
Penalties for breach: Offences under s.4: a fine of 400 dollars or twelve months' imprisonment. Offences under s.22(1): a fine of 40 dollars, or two months in default of payment.

Restrictions

Writing, printing or publishing any lottery ticket, list of prizes, announcement of a lottery result or any announcement relating to a public lottery is an offence (Gambling Act s.4(f))
Announcing or publishing that any place is kept as a common gaming house, or otherwise inviting or soliciting anyone to play in a gaming house or buy a lottery ticket, is an offence (s.4(g))
Publishing any proposal to pay out on the drawing of lots or the declaring of winning numbers in a lottery, raffle or game of chance is an offence (s.22(1)(c))
The Postmaster-General may, with Cabinet approval, make regulations to stop letters, circulars, advertisements or tickets concerning any lottery being sent by post (s.23)

Payments

Credit card ban: Not yet verified
Crypto stance: Not yet verified
Payment blocking regime: The Gambling Act contains no payment blocking provision. Money paid as a stake or for a lottery ticket is recoverable by the payer as money had and received (s.7), and every contract for the sale of a lottery ticket is void (s.8).

Enforcement

ISP blocking: Not yet verified
DNS blocking: Not yet verified
Payment blocking: Not yet verified
App store takedowns: Not yet verified
Administrative penalties: Forfeiture of gambling instruments, money and securities found in a gaming house (s.11(2)) and of lottery tickets (s.6(3)); demolition orders for premises built to facilitate gambling (s.16); security for good behaviour for up to a year on a second conviction under s.4 (s.27); criminal confiscation for gambling lifestyle offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Criminal penalties: Offences under s.4, including keeping a common gaming house, running a public lottery and unlawful gaming: a fine of 400 dollars or twelve months. Keeping a gaming house for numbers games, lotteries or games of chance (s.20): 100 dollars, or six months in default. Conducting a lottery (s.21): 100 dollars, or three months in default. Playing in a gaming house, buying a lottery ticket or gambling in a public place or licensed premises: 10 dollars or two months (ss.5, 6 and 9).
Operator liability: Anyone who keeps, manages, assists in managing or finances a common gaming house or public lottery, receives money for lottery chances, or sells or publishes lottery tickets commits an offence (ss.4, 20 and 21). The Act has no provision directed at operators outside the Islands.
Player liability: Playing in a common gaming house (s.5), buying a lottery ticket (s.6) and gambling or betting in a public place or licensed premises (s.9) are offences, each carrying a fine of 10 dollars or two months. Anyone found in a gaming house is presumed to have been playing, and anyone holding a lottery ticket is presumed to have bought it (ss.5(2) and 6(2)).

Notable actions

Seller of lottery tickets, Coe Wood Beach, Bodden Town21 Apr 2018
Joint operation by RCIPS, HM Customs and Immigration; a man arrested on suspicion of money laundering and possessing and selling lottery tickets, with cash in US and Cayman dollars and ticket books seized
Three lottery ticket sellers, Shedden Road, George Town28 Apr 2022
Arrested on suspicion of illegal gambling; cash and tickets seized
Illegal gambling operations, 20222022
RCIPS reported more than 110 warrants and searches relating to drugs, firearms and gambling in 2022, and linked robberies and a murder that year to illegal gambling premises
Woman in a parked vehicle, Kennedy Drive, George Town4 Sept 2023
Arrested on suspicion of illegal gambling and drug offences

Timeline

1 Jan 1964
Gambling Law, Cap. 60, enacted
22 Oct 2015
Law 20 of 2015 exempts Cayman-registered passenger ships in international waters
2 Sept 2016
Gambling Law (2016 Revision) published, the current text
24 Oct 2018
Gambling (Amendment) Bill, 2018 published to raise penalties; not enacted
Mar 2019
CFATF mutual evaluation records that land-based, ship-based and internet casinos are not permitted
7 Nov 2022
Gambling (Amendment) Bill, 2022 published
20 Dec 2022
Gambling offences made lifestyle offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act
19 Jan 2023
Commissioner of Police gives evidence to the select committee on the 2022 bill, estimating illicit gambling proceeds at KYD 30 million to 50 million a year
18 Feb 2025
Referendum Act assented, putting a national lottery question to voters
30 Apr 2025
Referendum approves a national lottery: 9,563 yes, 7,770 no, 1,330 spoilt
13 Feb 2026
Premier says the Law Reform Commission will consult in mid-2026 and report on a national lottery in January 2027

Outlook

The Law Reform Commission is due to publish a discussion paper and consult on a national lottery before reporting to the Government, with the final report expected in January 2027; at 24 September 2026 no lottery paper had appeared, while cannabis consultation opened on 1 July 2026. Any lottery would need legislation amending or displacing the Gambling Act. The 2022 bill to raise the Act's penalties has not been enacted.

Frequently asked questions

Is online gambling legal in the Cayman Islands?: No. The Gambling Act (2016 Revision) prohibits gambling and lotteries and provides no licence for any form of gambling. The CFATF records that internet-based gambling and casinos are not permitted to operate in the Islands.
Can an operator get a gaming licence in the Cayman Islands?: No. There is no gambling regulator and no licensing regime. Keeping or managing a place used for gambling, or running a public lottery, is an offence under ss.4, 20 and 21 of the Act.
Is the Cayman Islands getting a national lottery?: Possibly. Voters backed one at the 30 April 2025 referendum by 9,563 votes to 7,770, but the law has not changed. The Law Reform Commission is reviewing possible models and its report is expected in January 2027.
Can cruise ships open their casinos in Cayman waters?: No. Gambling is not permitted on any vessel in port or in the territorial sea. The Act does not apply to a Cayman-registered passenger ship in international waters on an international voyage.
Are players liable?: Yes, in principle. Playing in a common gaming house, buying a lottery ticket, and gambling in a public place or licensed premises each carry a fine of 10 dollars or two months. Bills to raise these penalties were published in 2018 and 2022 but not enacted.
Are charity raffles allowed?: Yes. Raffles staged by churches, service organisations and voluntary associations to raise funds for their programmes are outside the Act (s.2A). Cabinet may make regulations to license raffles, but none have been made.
Who regulates gambling in the Cayman Islands?: The Cayman Islands has no dedicated gambling regulator.

Glossary and directory

Glossary terms for this profile

AML (Anti-Money Laundering)

iGT coverage of Cayman Islands

M&A

24 Aug 2026

Evolution's Board Rejects a Bid Priced 16% Below Its Own Share Price

Candle Lake offered SEK 695 a share for a stock trading at SEK 824.20, and told the market it is not trying to buy the company. The board agreed, and said so. Kenneth Dart keeps 30% either way.

Wynn Las Vegas Fined $5.5M by NGC for AML Violations, 'Body Blow' to Reputation

Regulatory

23 May 2025

Wynn Las Vegas Fined $5.5M by NGC for AML Violations, 'Body Blow' to Reputation

The Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) has approved a $5.5 million fine against Wynn Las Vegas for anti-money laundering (AML)-related violations involving

Sources

Source tiers. Tier 1: the law, official gazette, licence register or regulator itself. Tier 2: other official sources such as ministries, parliaments, courts and statistics agencies. Only tier 1 and tier 2 sources can support a fact on their own.

Gambling Act (2016 Revision), Cap. 60 of 1964 consolidated with Laws 18 of 1967 and 20 of 2015 (published as the Gambling Law (2016 Revision), Supplement No. 7 to Extraordinary Gazette No. 69 of 2 September 2016)
Cayman Islands Government, Legislation (legislation.gov.ky)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 2 Sept 2016
Current Legislation (consolidated legislation index)
Cayman Islands Government, Legislation (legislation.gov.ky)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026
Legislation search results for "gambling" (Acts, Bills, Regulations and Gazettes)
Cayman Islands Government, Legislation (legislation.gov.ky)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026
Legislation search results for "raffle" (only the Gambling Act is returned; no raffle regulations)
Cayman Islands Government, Legislation (legislation.gov.ky)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026
The Gambling (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (Supplement No. 2 to Extraordinary Gazette No. 72 of 22 September 2015)
Parliament of the Cayman Islands
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 22 Sept 2015
The Gambling (Amendment) Bill, 2018 (Supplement No. 8 to Extraordinary Gazette No. 81 of 24 October 2018)
Cayman Islands Government, Legislation (legislation.gov.ky)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 24 Oct 2018
Gambling (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (Supplement No. 2 to Legislation Gazette No. 45 of 7 November 2022)
Cayman Islands Government, Legislation (legislation.gov.ky)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 7 Nov 2022
Official Hansard Report: Second Meeting of the Select Committee on the Gambling (Amendment) Bill, 2022, 19 January 2023 (evidence of the Commissioner of Police)
Parliament of the Cayman Islands
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 19 Jan 2023
Hansard: Select Committees (first and second meetings of the Select Committee, 18 and 19 January 2023)
Parliament of the Cayman Islands
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026
Referendum (Cruise Berthing Infrastructure, Gambling and Cannabis) Act, 2025 (Act 1 of 2025), assented 18 February 2025
Cayman Islands Government, Legislation (legislation.gov.ky)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 20 Feb 2025
2025 General Election and Referendum Results (Elections Office results released by the CIG Public Relations Unit)
Cayman Islands Government
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 1 May 2025
Premier Updates the Public on Cannabis Decriminalisation, Lottery Referendum
Cayman Islands Government, Radio Cayman
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 13 Feb 2026
Law Reform Commission: latest consultations and publications (to 1 July 2026; no national lottery discussion paper published)
Cayman Islands Government, Law Reform Commission
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026
Proceeds of Crime Act (2025 Revision), Schedule 1, paragraph 9A (gambling offences)
Cayman Islands Government, Legislation (legislation.gov.ky)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 13 Feb 2025
Proceeds of Crime (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order, 2022 (SL 50 of 2022)
Cayman Islands Government, Legislation (legislation.gov.ky)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 20 Dec 2022
Anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing measures: Cayman Islands, Mutual Evaluation Report, March 2019 (paras 285, 290 and 310)
Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF)
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published Mar 2019
Proactive Operations at Coe Wood Beach Lead to Arrest for Illegal Gambling
Royal Cayman Islands Police Service
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 23 Apr 2018
Three George Town Women Arrested in Relation to Illegal Gambling, 3 May
Royal Cayman Islands Police Service
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 3 May 2022
Woman Arrested for Possession of Drugs and Illegal Gambling in George Town, 6 September
Royal Cayman Islands Police Service
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 6 Sept 2023
RCIPS Annual Crime and Traffic Statistical Report 2022
Royal Cayman Islands Police Service
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published Apr 2023