Central America casinos are governed country by country, and the rules vary more than most visitors expect. Panama has a full national licensing system, with casinos, slot halls and online gambling licensed by a national regulator. Costa Rica allows casinos only inside higher-rated hotels, and Guatemala has no casino licensing system at all.
Central America gambling at a glance
| Country | Casinos | Online gambling |
|---|---|---|
| Panama | Legal with a licence from the Junta de Control de Juegos (JCJ); minimum age 18 | Licensed by the JCJ |
| Costa Rica | Legal only in first-category hotels rated four stars or more | Not authorized for residents |
| Guatemala | No casino licence exists; only lotteries and raffles are authorized | No law licenses or regulates it |
| Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador | Each has its own rules; see the country guides | See the country guides |
| Last checked | November 2026 | November 2026 |
Panama
Panama is the region’s biggest regulated gambling market. The Junta de Control de Juegos, part of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, licenses full casinos, slot halls, sportsbooks and online operators, and players must be 18. Law 527, published in May 2026, adds player time and spending limits, biometric identity checks for online accounts, facial recognition at casinos and slot halls, and powers to block unlicensed websites. Online operators licensed by the JCJ pay a 10% tax on gross gaming revenue.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s casinos are hotel amenities rather than destination resorts. Under Law 9050, a casino can only operate inside a first-category hotel rated four stars or more, the Ministry of Public Security authorizes each table and slot machine, and the casino pays monthly taxes on its income and on every table and machine. The country has no online gambling licence, and online casinos and sportsbooks aimed at residents are not authorized. The Junta de Protección Social runs the national lottery.
Costa Rica is also known as a base for betting companies that take bets from players abroad, including many offshore sites that serve the US. They work from the country under ordinary business and data processing permits, not gambling licences, and Law 9050 taxes their call centres by number of staff.
Guatemala
Guatemala’s Penal Code makes running a gambling house a crime, the country has no casino licence or gaming regulator, and the only gambling the state authorizes is licensed lotteries and raffles. Slot machines are widespread anyway, and Congress is considering a bill, Initiative 6645, that would bring prison terms for operating unauthorized gaming machines. Any venue in Guatemala that calls itself a casino operates without a gaming licence.
Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador
The other four countries each set their own rules for casinos, lotteries and betting, and those rules change. Before you plan a trip around a casino in any of them, read our Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador guides and confirm with the venue that it is open.
What you can play
Where casinos operate, the game mix is similar across the region: banks of slot machines and video poker, plus a smaller number of table games such as blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, Caribbean Stud poker and Three Card Poker. House rules can differ from what you know in the US, so ask the dealer how a game is played before you buy in.
Online gambling in Central America
Panama is the only country in the region covered here with a working online licence. Costa Rica does not license online gambling for its residents, and Guatemala has no online gambling law. Many offshore casinos and sportsbooks have offices in the region, but a site that is not licensed where you live gives you no local regulator to turn to in a dispute.
For US readers: offshore sites run from Central America or licensed elsewhere offshore are not licensed by US state regulators. Read our offshore online casino reviews before you deposit anywhere.
Nearby Caribbean destinations
These islands are not part of Central America, but they are often visited on the same trips. See our guides to the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos and Puerto Rico.
Central America casinos FAQ
Which Central American country has the most regulated gambling market?
Panama. Its Junta de Control de Juegos licenses full casinos, slot halls, sports betting and online gambling, and a 2026 law added new player protections.
Are casinos legal in Costa Rica?
Yes, but only inside first-category hotels rated four stars or more, with each table and machine authorized by the Ministry of Public Security.
Are casinos legal in Guatemala?
No casino licence exists in Guatemala. Lotteries and raffles are the only authorized forms of gambling, so casino-style venues operate without a licence.
Can I gamble online in Central America?
Panama licenses online casinos and sportsbooks. Costa Rica and Guatemala do not license online gambling for residents.
Gamble only with money you can afford to lose. If you are in the US and gambling is causing problems, call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET.