Guatemala casinos operate in a legal gray area. The Penal Code makes running a gambling house a crime, the country has no casino licensing system and no gaming regulator, and the only gambling the state authorizes is licensed lotteries and raffles. Slot halls and casino-style rooms still exist, and Congress is weighing a bill aimed at the thousands of unlicensed slot machines in neighborhood shops.
Guatemala gambling at a glance
| Casino licensing | None. There is no licensing process for private gambling operators. |
|---|---|
| Gaming regulator | None. The Ministerio de Gobernación licenses lotteries; departmental governments authorize raffles. |
| Legal forms of gambling | Licensed lotteries and raffles |
| Best-known lottery | Lotería Santa Lucía, run by the Comité Pro-Ciegos y Sordos de Guatemala |
| Online casinos | No law licenses or regulates them |
| Pending reform | Initiative 6645, a Penal Code reform targeting illegal slot machines |
| Last checked | November 2026 |
What the law says
Gambling offenses sit in Title XV of the Penal Code (Decreto 17-73), “De los juegos ilícitos”:
- Article 477: owners and managers of houses for games of chance face 1 to 5 years in prison and a fine of Q1,000 to Q10,000.
- Article 478: people who gamble in those houses face a fine of Q200 to Q2,000.
- Article 479: organizing or selling tickets for unauthorized lotteries or raffles carries a fine of Q50 to Q1,000.
- Article 489: encouraging a minor to gamble, or letting minors into a gambling house, is a misdemeanor punishable by 10 to 50 days of arrest.
The Code does not define which games count as games of chance, and it says nothing about slot machines, sports betting or online play. Lotteries are covered by a separate regulation, reformed in 2015 by Acuerdo Gubernativo 54-2015. Under it, the Ministerio de Gobernación licenses lotteries and similar games, draws are held before a notary, licensed games may run electronically, and foreign lotteries are prohibited.
An earlier attempt at a full gaming law, Initiative 4294, would have regulated betting, casinos, video lotteries and bingo. It moved through part of the legislative process but was never approved.
Lotteries in Guatemala
Lotteries are the one form of gambling with a clear legal footing. The best known is the Lotería Santa Lucía, run by the Benemérito Comité Pro-Ciegos y Sordos de Guatemala to fund its programs for blind and deaf people. Its large extraordinary draws, such as the Q7 million draw held in Guatemala City in January 2026, are national events. Each draw is overseen by a board that includes representatives of the Ministerio de Gobernación and the Contraloría General de Cuentas.
Slot machines and casino-style venues
Because no casino license exists, any venue in Guatemala that calls itself a casino operates without one. Most gambling activity today comes from slot machines, many of them placed in small shops and corner stores with no oversight. Police regularly seize machines; in February 2025, for example, officers took ten slot machines at a checkpoint in Río Dulce, Izabal.
Congress is trying to close the gap. Initiative 6645, presented in September 2025 by Deputy Fidencio Lima, chair of the congressional Comisión de Gobernación, would reform the Penal Code to target illegal machines. The commission gave it a favorable opinion in November 2025, which sends it to the full Congress for debate. As proposed, it would bring:
- Immediate closure and 2 to 5 years in prison for operating unauthorized gaming machines, with longer terms for repeat offenses
- 5 to 10 years in prison for trafficking or storing slot machines disguised as toys
- Extra prison time and fines for letting minors use gaming machines
- Penalties for officials who help illegal machines operate
The bill targets illegal machines. It would not create a licensing system for casinos or online gambling.
Venue directories online still list hotel and mall gaming rooms in Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango, but many of these listings are out of date. If you plan to visit one, confirm it is open first, and keep in mind that it has no gaming license and players have no regulator to complain to.
Online gambling
Guatemala has no law that licenses or regulates online casinos. Guatemalans who play online use foreign sites licensed in places such as Malta or Curaçao, which means a local player has no Guatemalan authority to turn to if a site refuses to pay. Article 477 has not been used against individual players on foreign sites, but online play has no legal protection either.
Learn the games before you play
If you plan to gamble anywhere in the region, it pays to know the rules first. Our guides cover slot machines, blackjack, Caribbean Stud poker, roulette, poker and other casino games.
Gambling in nearby countries
Guatemala borders Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. For a regional overview, see our Central America casinos guide.
Guatemala casinos FAQ
Is casino gambling legal in Guatemala?
No. Article 477 of the Penal Code makes running a gambling house a crime, and Guatemala has no casino licensing system. Licensed lotteries and raffles are the only legal forms of gambling.
Are there casinos in Guatemala City?
There are casino-style rooms and slot halls, but none holds a government casino license because no such license exists. Listings change often, so check that a venue is open before you go.
Is online gambling legal in Guatemala?
No Guatemalan law licenses or regulates online casinos. Players who use foreign sites have no local regulator to protect them.
Is Guatemala changing its gambling laws?
Initiative 6645 would add tougher penalties for illegal slot machines. It received a favorable committee opinion in November 2025 and becomes law only if the full Congress passes it. It does not legalize casinos.
Gamble only what you can afford to lose. In the US, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET (call or text).