Rules & regulation · 6 min read
Gambling age and entry rules around the world
Minimum ages range from 18 to 21, and several countries bar their own citizens from their own casinos. What to check before you travel.
There is no international standard for who may enter a casino. The minimum age is set nationally or, in federal countries, by the state or province, and in several jurisdictions the rule that matters most is not age at all but nationality or residence. The variations are large enough that a traveller can be admitted in one country and refused next door.
The common thresholds
| Jurisdiction | Minimum age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States (most commercial markets) | 21 | Set by state; some tribal venues admit at 18, usually without alcohol service on the floor |
| Macau | 21 | Raised from 18 in 2012; identification checked at the door |
| Singapore | 21 | Entry levy applies to citizens and permanent residents |
| United Kingdom | 18 | Photo identification required for entry |
| France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Austria | 18 | Some German states apply 21; identification recorded at entry |
| Malta | 18 visitors / 25 residents | Higher threshold applies to Maltese nationals |
| Australia | 18 | Identification checked; carded play required in some states |
| New Zealand | 20 | Applies to casino venues |
| South Korea | 19 | Foreigner-only rule applies at all but one venue |
| Canada | 19 (18 in Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec) | Set provincially |
Where citizens are barred from their own casinos
A small group of jurisdictions license casinos for foreign visitors and exclude their own population. The reasoning is consistent: the casino is treated as an export industry earning foreign currency, while domestic gambling harm is avoided by keeping residents out.
- Monaco. Monégasque nationals have been prohibited from gambling in the principality's casinos since the nineteenth century, although they may enter the buildings.
- South Korea. All but one casino admits foreign passport holders only. The exception, Kangwon Land, was licensed under a special law for regional development.
- Cambodia. Khmer citizens may not gamble; the entire market is built on visitors from neighbouring countries.
- Malaysia. Muslim Malaysians are prohibited by law from entering the gaming floor at the country's single casino.
- Vietnam. Casinos were historically foreigner-only; a limited pilot has allowed local entry at specified properties under income and fee conditions.
Levies, fees and membership
Entry is not always free even where it is permitted. Singapore charges residents a daily or annual levy, explicitly as a friction measure. Several European casinos charge an admission fee for the classic gaming rooms while leaving the machine hall free. British casinos abolished the 24-hour membership waiting period in 2005, but London's private clubs still admit members and guests only, and Crown Sydney operates on a membership and invitation basis rather than as a walk-in venue.
Identification is now near-universal
Three separate pressures have made document checks standard. Age verification is the oldest. Anti-money-laundering rules then required operators to identify customers above transaction thresholds, and in several countries at the door regardless of amount. Finally, national exclusion registers — Cruks in the Netherlands, OASIS in Germany, the French interdiction list, GAMSTOP for British online play — require that a name be checked against a database before play begins, which is impossible without a document.
The practical consequence for a visitor is simple: carry a passport. A driving licence is often accepted in domestic markets, but foreign-issued licences frequently are not, and in Asian foreigner-only venues the passport is the entry condition itself.
Alcohol, smoking and age boundaries inside the venue
Where the gaming age is 18 but the drinking age is higher, properties separate the two with internal boundaries rather than at the front door. Some American tribal casinos admit 18-year-olds to the machine floor while restricting bar areas to 21 and over; Oklahoma and Washington properties are the clearest examples. The reverse also occurs: a venue may admit under-age visitors to restaurants, theatres or hotels while barring them from the gaming area entirely, which is standard practice in Australian and Macanese resorts.
Questions
Can I enter a casino without gambling if I am under age?
Often yes, where the casino sits inside a resort. Hotels, restaurants, malls and theatres are generally open to all ages, with staff controlling access at the edge of the gaming floor itself. In standalone urban casinos the whole building is usually restricted.
Which document should I carry?
A passport is the safest option everywhere, and is mandatory at foreigner-only venues in Korea and Cambodia. National identity cards are accepted across the European Union; foreign driving licences frequently are not.
Why is the age 21 in the United States but 18 in Europe?
The American threshold follows the national drinking age rather than a gambling-specific judgement, because alcohol is served on the floor. European floors separate the two questions, and several countries serve alcohol to 18-year-olds as well.
Do children get turned away at the door of integrated resorts?
No. Properties such as Marina Bay Sands, Resorts World Sentosa and the Cotai resorts are built for family visitation, with attractions, malls and hotels open to everyone. Staff at the casino entrances check identification there instead.
More on rules & regulation
Last reviewed 1 January 1970. This page explains how something works; it is not legal advice and not a recommendation to gamble.