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Gambia – Online Casinos & Gambling Regulations
Gambia (sometimes called “The Gambia”) is located on the west coast of Africa and is the smallest country on the African continent. Its entire territory borders the Gambia River, which divides the country into a northern and a southern area. It is completely surrounded by Senegal, except for the western part of the country that borders the Atlantic Ocean. The official language is English, although other languages such as Mandingo, Pulaar, Wolof, Soninke, or Jola are also commonly spoken. It achieved independence from the United Kingdom in February 1965. Just recently, the stance of the government on gambling completely turned as, in 2015, gambling in the Gambia was made illegal. So, let’s look at how things stand nowadays…
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More information about Gambia – Online Casinos & Gambling Regulations
Find the Best Mandingo Casino Online
International tourists have the opportunity to play at the Kololi Casino in Kololi, Serekunda. This is the only land-based option in the country. If you are a resident of the Gambia, you are out of luck, as locals are not allowed to play in land-based casinos. Generally speaking, gambling in online casinos is also prohibited but the legal situation is not entirely clear. Most international casino sites can be accessed freely, but we recommend using a VPN connection. In any case, you should be aware of the legal situation in the country and the risks involved. Currently, there are no official reports that the government is prosecuting citizens of the country that are playing online. We advise treading with caution and to be aware that you are playing at your own risk.
- Check the jurisdiction of the online casino
- Does the casino accept players from the Gambia?
- Do you have access to the accepted payment methods?
- Is the casino properly licensed to ensure fair gaming?
- Use a VPN connection to access the casino
- Be aware of the legal situation and the risk involved
- The minimum age for foreign tourists at the Kololi Casino is 18
- Locals are not allowed to play at land-based casinos
To find out more about the best international online casinos that accept players from the Gambia, we recommend checking out our GoodLuckMate top lists and casino reviews.
Gambling Regulation
As previously mentioned gambling has been made completely illegal since March 2015 in the Republic of Gambia. Before the ban, gambling was fully legal and casino games like roulette, poker, blackjack, and baccarat, as well as sports betting, were widely available. As a result, many local casinos and bookies had to close their doors and shut down their businesses.
In theory, the ban also affects online casinos but there are no laws specifically banning online gambling explicitly. As a result of this, some international casino operators still accept players from the country. We are not aware of any instance of the government prosecuting players that are caught playing in foreign-based online casinos. Furthermore, this ban has been publicly challenged by many lawyers. They argue that, at the time, the president did not have the power to establish such a ban.
There is also a small exception for government-sponsored games but the exact details are unclear. According to reports, the national lottery is still running and, on top of that, there is exactly one land-based casino. However, this single casino is only open to international tourists. All proceeds of the casino and the national lottery are used to fund community projects.
Localized Online Casinos
In spite of the local gambling ban, many international online casinos are still open for players from the Gambia. Due to the current situation in the country and the hard stance of the government on gambling, almost all casino operators decided not to actively promote their services in The Gambia. Hence you can not expect any localized offers for Gambian players. You can still benefit from promotions designed for the international market, such as welcome offers and other deposit bonuses. You should be aware that Gambian players might not be eligible to receive such offers at all casinos.
Since English is the official language of the country, you won’t have any problems when it comes to the site language and customer support. Supported payment methods include credit cards, wire transfers, several eWallets, and sometimes even cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
Gambling with Gambian dalasi
Of course, the local Kololi Casino does accept Gambian dalasi. This is also the main currency on most of the tables. There are also some table games where you can play for US dollars. It is possible to exchange other currencies for Gambian dalasi at the casino’s cashier. The national lottery can also be played in the local currency. If you want to play online at one of the many international-only casinos, you will have to fall back to US dollars or euros as the Gambian dalasi is not supported at all – this means that you will be charged for conversions, too.
Casinos in the Gambia
Right now the Kololi Casino in Kololi, Serekunda is the only land-based casino in the Gambia. The available games include roulette, blackjack, Caribbean stud poker, casino hold'em, baccarat, texas hold'em cash games, slot machines, video slots, and video poker. The quality of the facility is relatively high and players report that they’ve been very happy with the friendly and professional staff. There are also several dining options and an American bar attached to the casino. It is important to know that the casino is only open to international tourists. Local residents are not allowed to play here. Foreign online casinos that accept Gambian players are usually located and regulated in either Curaçao, Malta, or Kahnawake.
Updated: 16 March 2021 
