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

The short answer: gambling is legal in Panama, but only inside a state-licensed framework. Under Decree-Law No. 2 of 1998, the right to run games of chance belongs to the state. The Junta de Control de Juegos (JCJ, the Gaming Control Board), part of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), runs and supervises the sector on the state’s behalf. A private company may run a casino, slot hall, sports betting shop, bingo hall or online gambling website only under an administration and operation contract with the JCJ. The national lottery is run separately by the Lotería Nacional de Beneficencia.

If you are a Chinese citizen planning to move to or live in Panama, remember three things. First, only adults aged 18 or over may enter casinos or open online accounts. Second, foreign websites without a Panamanian JCJ licence operate illegally there, and Law 527, in force since May 2026, lets the JCJ order them blocked. Third, Article 303 of the PRC Criminal Law still applies to organising or recruiting Chinese citizens to gamble abroad, wherever you are. This page covers law and regulation only and promotes no operator, as of October 2026.

Is gambling legal in Panama? The legal framework

Panama uses a state monopoly with delegated operation. Articles 1 to 3 of Decree-Law No. 2 provide that the state runs all games of chance (juegos de suerte y azar) and betting activities through the JCJ, and that no individual or company may run them on their own account. The JCJ may operate directly or contract third parties, keeping supervisory powers. Article 5 adds that gambling by electronic or remote means must also be regulated.

The 1998 text originally banned internet betting where the origin of funds and the identity of players could not be established. The JCJ later set up rules for electronic gaming in Resolution 65 of 2002 and overhauled them in Resolution 11 of 6 March 2020, which created today’s online licensing regime.

The regulator: what the JCJ does

The JCJ sits within the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Its official mission is to control, supervise, oversee and regulate gambling and betting on behalf of the state and to decide whether a given game counts as gambling. Its Responsible Gambling Section handles self-exclusion and counselling. Rules, resolutions and the self-exclusion form are published on the JCJ page of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Under Article 97 of Decree-Law 2, breaches of the decree and its regulations carry fines of B/.1,000 to B/.50,000, doubled for repeat offences. Law 527 adds fines of US$25,000 to US$100,000 for operators that fail to apply its harm-prevention measures, with suspension or cancellation of licences for repeat breaches. The balboa is pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. At the PBoC central parity of US$1 = CNY 6.7220 on 16 October 2026, US$100,000 is about CNY 672,000.

Online gambling: licensing and Law 527

Resolution 11 sets these rules. Online gambling may only be offered through a website, not by taking internet bets inside physical halls. Nobody may operate or advertise online gambling in Panama without a JCJ contract. An operator licensed only in another jurisdiction may not operate or advertise there either, and the JCJ may ask the authorities to block unauthorised sites. Licences cover sports betting and online casino games such as poker, blackjack, roulette and slots. Bets on domestic amateur sport and on elections for public office are banned. Operators pay the JCJ 10% of gross revenue (stakes minus prizes) every month.

Law 527 was signed on 23 May 2026 and published in the Gaceta Oficial on 28 May 2026. It treats problem gambling as a public-health issue. Its main points:

• Online platforms must verify identity and age biometrically to keep out under-18s.
• Platforms must offer voluntary spending and time limits and send automatic alerts when they detect risky behaviour.
• Full casinos and Type A slot halls must add facial recognition to their CCTV to spot people excluded by the JCJ.
• The JCJ may order unlicensed websites, apps, domains and IP addresses blocked. Internet and telecom providers must comply or face fines of up to US$1 million.
• A treatment fund, managed by the MEF for the national Mental Health Institute, is financed by 0.5% of what regulated operators pay the Treasury each year.

The executive has six months to issue implementing rules, which puts the deadline around November 2026. The detail will depend on those rules once published. For more on online platforms, see online casinos in Panama.

Who may play: age and entry rules

Article 86 of Decree-Law 2 bars the following from gaming halls: minors (even if emancipated), anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs, anyone carrying a weapon, people barred by the gaming halls director, and anyone on the exclusion list. Online, Resolution 11 states that only players aged 18 or over may register, and platforms must verify each player’s legal name, address, age and nationality. The law makes no distinction between residents and tourists, so a Chinese visitor on a passport faces the same age and ID rules as a resident. For where the land-based casinos are and how entry works, see our guide to casinos in Panama.

Gambling tax in Panama: are winnings taxed?

In 2015 Panama introduced a 5.5% tax on gambling bets to fund higher pensions. In 2019 the government said it would remove it only for table games at full casinos in large hotels, keeping it for slot machines and sports betting (La Prensa, September 2019). In May 2026 English-language media reported that the JCJ would scrap the 5.5% tax on casino and betting winnings, but gave no law number or start date. As of October 2026 we therefore cannot confirm the current rate. Check with the JCJ or the tax authority (DGI). If you are still a PRC tax resident, see tax residency on reporting income earned abroad.

Advertising rules

JCJ Resolution MEF-RES-2022-2900 requires every gambling advertisement or promotion, in any medium, to carry the warning “Jugar Responsablemente también es parte del juego” (playing responsibly is also part of the game) and to mention the JCJ Responsible Gambling Section. Operator websites must offer a self-exclusion option. Resolution 11 also bans anyone without a JCJ licence from advertising online gambling in Panama. Since August 2025 the Assembly has debated bills to ban gambling ads, influencer endorsements and sports sponsorship. Published summaries of Law 527 do not mention an advertising ban, so rely on the full Gaceta Oficial text for the final rules.

For Chinese citizens: PRC law still applies

Never register with or deposit on a website without a JCJ licence: your money and data are not protected. For general preparation before you move, see leaving China. For visas, see Panama visas, and for an overview of the country, see the Panama country page.

Responsible gambling: getting help in Panama

1. Ask for adviceCall the JCJ Responsible Gambling Section (504-3768 / 506-6698) or email jcjjuegoresponsable@mef.gob.pa to arrange free, confidential sessions with a psychologist
2. Fill in the formDownload and complete the self-exclusion request form
3. Attach documentsA copy of your ID card or passport and a recent colour photo of your face
4. SubmitHand it in at the JCJ (Ave. Perú, Calle 35, Edificio de Finanzas, 7th floor), at any licensed gaming hall or on a licensed online platform
5. In effectOnce excluded, you cannot enter licensed gaming halls or use licensed online platforms in Panama. Online self-exclusion lasts at least two years, or indefinitely if you choose

To compare neighbouring rules, read our pages on gambling law in Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru. For leisure, see Panama landmarks and sports in Panama.

FAQ

Is gambling legal in Panama?

Yes, but only at venues or on websites authorised by the JCJ. Operators without a JCJ contract, including online sites licensed only abroad, are illegal in Panama.

What is the gambling age in Panama?

18. Minors may not enter casinos. Online platforms may only open accounts for people aged 18 or over, and under Law 527 they must verify age biometrically.

Does playing at a licensed Panamanian casino break Chinese law?

Article 303 of the Criminal Law mainly targets gambling, running gambling venues and organising Chinese citizens to gamble abroad. For your own situation, ask a lawyer licensed in China. This page is for information only.

Sources

1. MEF – Secretaría Ejecutiva, Junta de Control de Juegos (Programa de Juego Responsable, resoluciones) (accessed October 2026)
2. Decreto Ley N.º 2 de 10 de febrero de 1998, Gaceta Oficial 23,484 (accessed October 2026)
3. JCJ Resolución N.º 11 de 6 de marzo de 2020 – Juegos de suerte y azar a través de Internet (accessed October 2026)
4. JCJ Resolución MEF-RES-2022-2900 de 31 de octubre de 2022 (Gaceta Oficial 29674) (accessed October 2026)
5. La Estrella de Panamá – Panamá endurece controles sobre apuestas digitales (Ley 527), 30/05/2026 (accessed October 2026)
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