Legalization Online - Barbados

Prospects for legalizing online gambling (Barbados)

1) Starting point: what is already enshrined in the laws

• Gambling, Cap. 134 - "skeleton" of prohibitions (including suppression of common gaming houses) and procedural powers; at the same time, pool betting and certain lotteries were removed from action.
• Betting & Gaming, Cap. 134A - regulates in detail slot machines/halls, charity lotteries, on-/off-course and pool betting (including requirements for premises and registration). There is no direct mode for online casinos/sportsbooks.
• Betting & Gaming Duties Act, Cap. 60 - duty and fees, including special rules for pool betting and situations when the promoter is outside Barbados.

At the same time, Cruise Ships (Opening of Facilities) Act 2012 (as amended 2015) operates, allowing casinos on board liners in the port of Bridgetown under a license - a "tourist" compromise without land-based casinos and without online.

2) What the government promised and what actually for 2025

In March 2023, the authorities announced the preparation of a bill to regulate online games, citing risks for the financial sector and the economy. It was reported that the document "will soon be submitted to parliament." As of October 2025, there is still no separate "online act" (as of open publications), which means that there is also a local license for online casinos/sports books.

3) Current "white" online exception

In the online space, only the web/mobile channel of the betting on the run at Barbados Turf Club (BTCBets) legally works - this is a pari-mutuel, and not a universal sports book with fixed coefficients. Everything else (casinos/bets from foreign sites) is not licensed by Barbados.

4) Why reform is overdue

Leakage of demand offshore: payments and play from foreign sites without local supervision = zero demand protection, zero local taxes. (This was pointed out by officials, as well as industry reviews of legal status.)

Fiscal potential: acting Cap. 60 has already built the principles of duties/fees - they can be adapted to GGR taxation online (world standard).

Risk control: the need for "own" KYC/AML, responsible advertising and complaint mechanisms.

5) Three realistic scenarios until 2030

A) Status quo (inertial)

There is no separate online law; offshore companies and "narrow" legal online through BTCBets (sweepstakes) remain.

Pros: zero regulatory capex. Cons: tax base withdrawal, weak player protection.

B) "Narrow" legalization (first step)

A short act is adopted for online sports and/or casino betting, with a mandatory local license, GGR reporting, basic KYC/AML, age 18 +, transparent payout rules and an advertising code.

At Cap. 60 includes GGR tax rate and license fees; a registry of white/black domains is created.

Effect: partial repatriation of traffic from offshore, quick launch of the sandbox.

(C) Comprehensive reform (full codification)

Unified "all-in-one" law (online casinos, bets, virtual products), supervisor, public reports on RG/AML, e-self-exclusion, RNG audit, white-list providers/payments, complaint mechanism.

Higher fiscal predictability, better image for the financial center, but more preparatory work.

6) Architecture of the "correct" law (summary)

1. Tax base = GGR (winnings deducted), not betting turnover; fix + down scale for market start.

2. Licenses by vertical: sportsbook, casino, bingo/lotto online; B2B certification of providers.

3. KYC/AML: verification of identity, sources of funds, deposit/rate limits, reporting on suspicious transactions (synchronization with financial supervision requirements).

4. Responsible Gaming: self-exclusion, mandatory limits, timeouts, visible RG banners; local help contacts.

5. Advertising: watershed rules (time/channels), prohibition of targeting minors/vulnerable, cap on bonuses.

6. Technical circuit: RNG audit, event log, data storage at trusted sites, connection to the block list system of unlicensed domains.

7. Consumer protection: Payout/complaint SLAs, escrow for jackpots, arbitration recognition in Barbados.

7) Economy and tourism: how it "fits" with the island model

Barbados is a chamber tourist market without land casinos, but with a "sea" casino exception (cruises) and a strong lottery (operator - IGT; beneficiaries: cricket, Olympic movement, Turf Club, National Sports Council). An online frame with a GGR tax would complement Cap's already existing fiscal design. 60 and would reduce demand leakage.

8) Risks and how to cover them

Financial and cyber risks (fraud, phishing, leaks) - solved by certification, 2FA requirements and regulatory reporting; at the level of financial supervision, the island emphasizes the importance of cyber resilience.

Reputational - leveled by public RG metrics (self-exclusions, appeals, assistance).

Enforcement - Domain/payment blocking tools for unlicensed sites and cooperation with banks/telecom will be required.

9) Roadmap (practical and step by step)

Step 1. Green book/consultation (stakeholders: banks, telecom, tourism, lotto/turf club, RG NGO).

Step 2. Pilot licenses (6-12 months) for sportsbook/casino online with marketing restrictions and strict RG requirements.

Step 3. Integration into Cap. 60 (GGR rate, fee structure), launch of public register and complaint mechanism.

Step 4. Revision after a year: adjustment of advertising rates/rules, expansion of the "white list" of providers.

10) What it means for players and businesses today

Players: locally legal online is BTCBets (running tote); offshore sites do not give Barbados guarantees. Follow the news of the Ministry of Finance/Parliament on the online bill.

Business: prepare KYC/AML, GGR reporting, RG procedures, partnerships with local payment providers; focus on the Cap bundle. 134A + Cap. 60 as an administrative basis.

As of October 11, 2025, Barbados does not have a separate law on local licensing of online gambling, although the authorities announced their intention to introduce it in 2023. Current offline frame (Cap. 134/134A/60) and the "maritime" casino exception for cruises coexist with the leakage of online demand offshore. On the horizon until 2030, two ways are viable: narrow legalization (a fast pilot with a GGR rate and a hard RG/AML) or complete codification of the online market. Both scenarios reduce the gray area, increase consumer protection and add budget revenues - subject to accurate tax design and control.