Bitcoin provides a great way to top up your casino account, even if the payment system you normally use isn’t supported. However, one may wonder, how legal is it to play with Bitcoin? After all, from the news, we often learn that cryptos were banned in one country or Bitcoin transactions were prohibited by some bank.
Is Crypto Gambling Legal?
The short answer is yes, Bitcoin gambling is perfectly legal in most jurisdictions. Online casinos strive to provide their clients with the best possible experience, so they enable various payment options, including crypto. It doesn’t mean that they are in it to break some laws. Bitcoin-exclusive casinos have been getting popularity recently due to the benefits associated with crypto.
Many developed countries embrace Bitcoin and make it easier for their citizens to deal with it, for example by approving kiosks where one can buy BTC or debit cards to easily withdraw and spend crypto. In other places, the situation is contentious. Bitcoin isn’t prohibited there but governed by strict laws. As a rule of thumb, you should check with your country’s legislation to determine how legal it is to use Bitcoin and gamble with crypto. There is plenty of information available online.
Where Crypto Casinos are Permitted and Restricted
For example, Estonia, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Gibraltar, and the United Kingdom have different conditions regarding the regulation and licensing of online crypto gambling, but generally allow local and foreign operators on their markets. Meanwhile, Bitcoin casinos are illegal in the USA. Curiously enough, they are also illegal in Malta, even though Malta Gaming Authority gives licenses to most online casinos. Conversely, Japan maintains strict regulations on crypto and gambling, but it is one of the countries where crypto gambling is popular. Still, there are many places where cryptocurrencies are neither officially allowed nor explicitly prohibited.
However, please, keep in mind that the attitude of different authorities to Bitcoin is changing quickly, so what is legal today can be illegal tomorrow, and vice versa. You can also check if a casino accepts players from your jurisdictions in its Terms and Conditions.
It also should be noted that different governments have different views on gambling and crypto taxation in general. Some countries enforce higher tax rates, some lower, while others don’t tax crypto at all. This is another point which should be checked with your local legislation.