Gambling Laws in Peru: Legality, Regulators and What Chinese Citizens Should Know

Is gambling legal in Peru? Yes: licensed casinos, slot halls, lotteries and authorised online casinos and sports betting are all legal, but only adults (18 and over) may play and every operator needs an authorisation from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR). Land-based casinos and slot machines are governed by Law No. 27153 of 1999; online gaming and remote sports betting fall under Law No. 31557, whose licensing system has been in force since 2024. Unlicensed websites operate illegally and the government keeps blocking them.

For readers coming from China, two points matter most. First, being legal in Peru does not make it risk-free for PRC citizens: Chinese criminal law has a specific offence for organising or recruiting Chinese citizens to gamble abroad. Second, Peru’s gambling taxes are mainly paid by operators, but online bets also carry an excise tax levied on each stake. Below we go through the law, the regulator, minimum age, taxes, advertising rules and where to get help, as of October 2026.

Peru’s gambling laws: what is legal and what is not

Unlike mainland China, Peru does not ban gambling outright. It uses a licensing model: with a MINCETUR licence it is legal, without one it is illegal.

Casino locations are tightly restricted: under the original text of Law 27153, casinos may only operate in four- or five-star hotels or in “five-fork” tourist restaurants, at least 150 metres from churches, schools, barracks and hospitals. Details on individual venues are on our subpages.

Regulator and licensing system

Peru’s gambling regulator is the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR). The Directorate-General for Casinos and Slot Machines (Dirección General de Juegos de Casino y Máquinas Tragamonedas, DGJCMT), part of the Vice-Ministry of Tourism, authorises, supervises and sanctions both land-based and online gambling. A large share of gambling tax revenue goes to tourism promotion, which is one reason the tourism ministry is in charge.

For online gaming, Law 31557 sets operating authorisations at six years, renewable; platforms and game software must be certified (homologación), with certification valid for two years. The implementing regulation DS 005-2023-MINCETUR took effect on 10 February 2024, MINCETUR accepted applications from existing operators between 13 February and 13 March 2024, and taxation under the new law started on 1 April 2024. Trade media report that more than 60 companies hold authorisations. Platforms must use domains such as .bet.pe, .bet, .com, .pe or .com.pe and verify each player’s identity, age and nationality on registration.

1. ApplicationThe company applies to MINCETUR for an operating authorisation and posts a guarantee
2. CertificationGaming platform and software are certified by an approved test laboratory
3. Domain noticeBefore launch the operator notifies MINCETUR of its domain and grants access to servers and databases
4. Ongoing supervisionMonthly tax returns and audits; breaches can mean fines of 1 to 200 UIT or loss of the licence

Crackdown on illegal gambling: blocked sites and closed venues

Law 31557 lets MINCETUR order the blocking of URLs, IP addresses, apps and payment channels of illegal operators, carried out by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Enforcement stepped up in 2026: on 21 July MINCETUR announced the blocking of 36 unauthorised platforms; on 2 October it blocked another 50, bringing the total to 86 against a target of 157 for the year (71 still to go). It keeps a database of about 2,000 illegal domains. Over the same period it closed 17 betting shops and 10 slot halls and carried out 5,195 inspections of casinos and slot halls.

On 21 October 2026 MINCETUR published, through Ministerial Resolution No. 382-2026-MINCETUR, a draft amendment to the online gaming regulation, open for public comment for 15 calendar days. It would spell out licensees’ obligations, audit and guarantee rules and objective criteria for fines. The draft is not yet in force; the final text will apply once published.

Gambling age in Peru: 18 and over

Both laws limit play to adults (mayor de edad), and the age of majority in Peru is 18. Law 27153 also bars people who are visibly drunk, on drugs or carrying weapons from casinos. Online platforms must verify age when an account is opened, and advertising aimed at minors is banned. The 18+ rule applies equally to foreign tourists and residents, who must show valid ID at the door or on sign-up; PRC citizens normally use a passport or a Peruvian foreigner’s card (carné de extranjería).

Gambling taxes in Peru: what operators and players pay

Peru’s gambling taxes fall mainly on operators. SUNAT states explicitly that players are not taxpayers of the remote gaming tax. However, online bets also carry an excise tax (ISC) charged on the value of each stake: 0.3% from January to June 2025 and 1% since 1 July 2025. Domestic licensed operators declare and pay it themselves; on licensed platforms run from abroad the player is legally the taxpayer and the platform collects it.

After collection costs, remote gaming tax revenue is split by law, with a share earmarked for the Health Ministry’s mental health programme:

Lottery prizes work differently: Peruvian media report that large La Tinka prizes are paid after the operator withholds 10% municipal tax. Chinese rules matter too: if you are still a Chinese tax resident, PRC individual income tax law in principle covers foreign income, and gambling or lottery winnings may count as “incidental income”. To check whether you are still a Chinese tax resident, see Tax residency.

Gambling advertising rules

Law 31557 bans advertising for unlicensed platforms or betting rooms and any advertising aimed at minors; licensed platforms may sponsor people, events and activities as long as they comply with the law. Under the regulation, advertisements and betting rooms must carry the warning that “remote gaming and sports betting in excess can cause gambling addiction”. Advertising breaches are handled by the consumer authority INDECOPI. Betting brands are common in Peruvian football, but that does not prove a given website is licensed, so always check.

A reminder on Chinese law: Criminal Law Article 303

Even gambling that is legal in Peru has legal limits for PRC citizens. Article 303 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China covers the offences of gambling and running a gambling establishment. Amendment XI, in force since 1 March 2021, added the offence of organising participation in gambling abroad: organising PRC citizens to gamble outside China, where the sums are huge or other serious circumstances exist, is punished like running a gambling establishment. The focus is on organising and operating gambling and recruiting PRC citizens to gamble abroad, for example arranging groups, acting as an agent, touting for Chinese customers or handling payments in Peru.

Responsible gambling and where to get help

Peru’s Health Ministry (MINSA) treated 11,349 cases of gambling disorder (ludopatía) in 2024, 32% of them adolescents aged 12 to 17. If you or a family member has a gambling problem, you can:

• call the Health Ministry’s mental health line 113, option 5, or go to the nearest health facility;
• sign up on gob.pe for the Register of Persons Barred from Casinos and Slot Halls (Registro de Personas Prohibidas); licensed venues must then refuse you entry, and online platforms may not serve people excluded under Law 31557;
• use the deposit limits and self-exclusion tools that licensed platforms provide.

How Peru compares with its neighbours

Peru was one of the first Latin American countries to build a full licensing system for online gambling. Rules nearby vary widely: for Chile’s position on online gambling see Gambling laws in Chile, and for Brazil and Argentina see Gambling laws in Brazil and Gambling laws in Argentina. For everything else about life in Peru, go back to our Peru relocation guide.

FAQ

Is gambling legal in Peru?

Yes, but only at MINCETUR-licensed casinos, slot halls, online platforms and lotteries, and players must be 18 or over. Unlicensed websites and underground gambling dens are illegal.

Can Chinese tourists enter casinos in Peru?

Yes. Foreign tourists aged 18 or over can enter licensed casinos with a passport. Bear in mind, however, what Chinese criminal law says about organising and recruiting PRC citizens to gamble abroad.

Do I pay tax on winnings in Peru?

The casino and remote gaming taxes are paid by operators; online bets carry a 1% excise tax collected on each stake; large lottery prizes reportedly have 10% withheld. Chinese tax residents should also consider PRC income tax reporting, so ask a qualified tax adviser.

How can I tell whether an online platform is legal in Peru?

Check MINCETUR’s list of authorisation holders or ask MINCETUR. Legal platforms are authorised and have notified their domains; do not use websites that are blocked or not on the list.

Sources

1. Ley No. 31557, consolidated text (Congress of Peru) (accessed October 2026)
2. Law No. 27153 on casinos and slot machines (original text) (accessed October 2026)
3. Constitutional Court of Peru: casino tax cut from 20% to 12% (Law 27796) (accessed October 2026)
4. SUNAT: Tax on remote gaming and remote sports betting (accessed October 2026)
5. Legislative Decree No. 1644 on excise tax (ISC), reproduced by LP Derecho (accessed October 2026)
6. El Peruano: from 2025 online gaming firms get a casino-like tax regime (accessed October 2026)
7. Garrigues: Peru approves remote gaming regulation (DS 005-2023-MINCETUR) (accessed October 2026)
8. El Peruano: registration of remote gaming applications opens (February 2024) (accessed October 2026)
9. Gestión: unauthorised online betting firms to be shut out (media report) (accessed October 2026)
10. Focus Gaming News: over 60 authorised online gaming companies in Peru (trade media) (accessed October 2026)
11. El Peruano: MINCETUR blocks 36 unauthorised platforms (21 July 2026) (accessed October 2026)
12. El Peruano: MINCETUR blocks another 50 platforms (2 October 2026) (accessed October 2026)
13. El Peruano: MINCETUR consults on amending the remote gaming regulation (21 October 2026) (accessed October 2026)
14. gob.pe: Register on the list of persons barred from casinos and slot halls (accessed October 2026)
15. El Peruano: Health Ministry treated over 11,000 gambling-disorder cases in 2024 (accessed October 2026)
16. El Peruano: 2026 tax unit (UIT) set at S/ 5,500 (accessed October 2026)
17. NPC: Amendment XI to the Criminal Law of the PRC (accessed October 2026)
18. FXFeed: PEN/CNY exchange rate (29 October 2026) (accessed October 2026)
19. SUNAT: Excise tax (ISC) on remote gaming and remote sports betting (accessed October 2026)
20. Focus Gaming News: DS 008-2025-EF sets the ISC rate at 1% (trade media) (accessed October 2026)
21. El Peruano: MINCETUR proposes clarifying obligations and sanctions for licensed operators (21 Oct 2026) (accessed October 2026)