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Iceland Online Casino
Iceland is one of the most conservative countries in Europe regarding gambling.
Here, casinos, bookmakers and online gambling are prohibited by law, and any form of private gambling activity is considered illegal.
However, public interest in gambling continues, and more Icelanders are turning to international online casinos licensed in other countries.
Legislative framework
Gambling is regulated by Act No. 73/1994 on Lotteries" and a number of related regulations.
According to this law:- the organization of gambling without special permission is prohibited;
- only lotteries and bingo are allowed, the proceeds of which are directed to charitable purposes;
- all forms of commercial gambling (including online casinos, betting and slot machines) are prohibited;
- licenses are issued by the Ministry of Justice and Transport.
- Sýslumaður (Police Department) - supervision and suppression of illegal games;
- Icelandic Lotteries (Íslensk Getspá/Getraunir) is the official operator of state lotteries and sports betting.
Permitted forms of gambling
Iceland has only non-profit and state games.
1. Íslensk Getspá/Getraunir - national lottery and sports forecasts (analogue of football sweepstakes).
2. Happdrætti Háskóla Íslands is a lottery of the University of Iceland, the proceeds of which are directed to education.
3. Ríkisspil is an Icelandic Red Cross lottery.
4. Bingófélög (Bingo clubs) - small bingo halls operating on the basis of permits from municipalities.
These organizations are authorized to hold raffles and bingo for charitable purposes only.
Private casinos, sports betting and slot machines are prohibited.
Online gambling
Officially, online gambling in Iceland is banned.
The laws of the country do not provide for licenses for online casinos, poker or betting, and local companies are prohibited from providing such services.
However, access to overseas sites is not blocked and players are free to use international platforms licensed by Malta, Curacao, Gibraltar or Sweden.
Popular online casinos among Icelandic residents:- Betsson, LeoVegas, Unibet, Mr Green, Stake, Casumo, PlayOJO, Wildz, ComeOn, Bet365.
- availability of an interface in English and Scandinavian languages;
- acceptance of Visa/MasterCard cards and electronic wallets;
- access to licensed slots and live casinos;
- high data protection and transparency.
Taxation
Since gambling is prohibited, there is no separate taxation of gambling in Iceland.
Income from permitted lotteries is directed to social funds and educational institutions.
Players do not pay tax on winnings from national lotteries.
Winnings in foreign casinos may be subject to declaration when transferring significant amounts to Icelandic accounts, although tax practice on them is not unified.
Land-based casinos
Land casinos in Iceland are completely prohibited.
Attempts to legalize casinos were discussed in 2016 and 2020, but the parliament (Alþingi) rejected the proposals, citing social risks:- the rise of gambling addiction;
- a threat to the well-being of families;
- impact on small communities.
Thus, there are no casinos or gambling halls in the country, and tourists wishing to play usually visit neighboring countries - Denmark, Norway or Sweden.
Payment methods
Although there are no local gambling operators, residents of Iceland actively use international payment systems:- Visa, MasterCard, Maestro;
- Skrill, Neteller, ecoPayz, Revolut;
- Trustly, Zimpler;
- Apple Pay, Google Pay;
- cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT) - especially among young people.
The government has not yet introduced blocking of payment operations, but is discussing financial control over transfers to offshore casinos.
Responsible play
Despite the limited market, Iceland is actively developing its Responsible Gambling policy.
The work is carried out through state and charitable organizations:- SÁÁ (Icelandic Centre for Addictions) - treatment of gambling addiction;
- Ríkisspil and Getspá - implementation of participation limits and age checks;
- awareness campaigns supported by the Ministry of Health.
Under-18s are banned from even participating in lotteries and bingo.
Economic importance
Gambling does not play a prominent role in the economy of Iceland.
The annual turnover of lotteries and bingo is about 2.5 billion ISK (€16 million), of which:- 60% goes to charity;
- 30% - for the prize fund;
- 10% - for administrative expenses.
At the same time, experts note that more than 50,000 Icelanders regularly use foreign online casinos, and the volume of shadow online gambling is estimated at €50-70 million per year.
Challenges and challenges
lack of internal regulation of online gambling;- money leakage abroad;
- the growing popularity of cryptocasino without control;
lack of systemic assistance to players addicted to online games.
In 2025, the Ministry of Justice is considering a project to create a regulated license for online gambling, which will allow:- control the activities of foreign brands;
- tax them;
- implement Responsible Gaming mechanisms.
Development prospects
Despite its historic conservatism, Iceland is gradually moving towards modernising its gaming policy.
In the coming years, the following are possible:- limited legalization of online gambling according to the Danish or Swedish model;
- licensing of foreign operators under state control;
- integration with European Responsible Gaming systems;
- establishment of a national player registry and limit system.
If these reforms are implemented, Iceland could move from a strict ban to a regulated and secure online marketplace, while maintaining social principles and control over gambling addiction.
