Online gambling regulation in Costa Rica

Junta de Protección Social (JPS) for state lottery and domestic sports betting; no dedicated national regulator for offshore-facing online gambling. Mixed model. Checked 2026-09-21.

Advertising unlicensed gambling banned: Yes
Public licence register: No
Online casino: Not confirmed
Online sports betting: Monopoly

Casino, sports betting, poker and more

Offline casinos are heavily restricted/regulated, while online operators use municipal data-processing permits for foreign customers only; sports betting and poker are handled under the same grey offshore model, with no dedicated online poker licence.

Product	Status	What that means
Online casino	Not confirmed	—
Online sports betting	Monopoly	—
Online poker	Unregulated	Unlicensed/grey: offshore online poker is tolerated via municipal data-processing permits; no dedicated online poker licence.
Sweepstakes and social casinos	Not confirmed	Unclear; no Costa Rica-specific sweepstakes/social-casino regime located, though offshore operators sometimes market these products under data-processing permits.
Prediction markets	Not confirmed	Unclear; no Costa Rica-specific framework found for real-money prediction markets or derivative-style event contracts.
Mystery boxes	Not confirmed	No source specifically addresses mystery boxes/loot boxes; Costa Rica lacks a dedicated online-gambling law, and Bill 25.057 (2026) was rejected.

Advertising unlicensed gambling in Costa Rica

Prohibited. Ley de Rifas y Loterías (Ley 1387), Article 1; Bill 25.057 on unauthorized sale and marketing of lotteries, sports bets and games of chance.

Law 1387 and Bill 25.057 target unauthorized lotteries, betting and games; advertising or marketing such products is treated as prohibited unauthorized commercialization.

Regulator and law

Junta de Protección Social (JPS) for state lottery and domestic sports betting; no dedicated national regulator for offshore-facing online gambling — www.jps.go.cr

Ley de Rifas y Loterías (Ley 1387) as core framework for lotteries and games of chance; legacy 1922 gambling statute for wider sector.

Online casino: Not confirmed. Online sports betting: Monopoly.

Checking a licence

There is no public register of licensed operators. No public national licence register for online gambling; offshore operators use municipal data-processing certificates without centralised listing.

How the black market is fought

Currently no dedicated online enforcement toolkit; reform bills propose fines, prison terms and ISP geo-blocking for unlicensed platforms.
Bill 25.057 would introduce fines and prison sentences for unauthorized lotteries, sports bets and games of chance.
Expediente 25.600 would oblige ISPs to geo-block platforms operating without a JPS licence.

Advertising rules for licensed operators

JPS holds exclusive rights for domestic lotteries and sports betting; only JPS-authorized products may be promoted to residents.
Law 1387 prohibits any profit-seeking games of chance except National Lottery and raffles issued or authorized by JPS.
Sale or marketing of unauthorized printed or electronic lotteries, sports bets and games of chance is prohibited, with fines and prison sanctions under Bill 25.057.

Recent developments

JPS-sponsored Bill 25.057 seeks stronger powers against illegal gambling, covering digital platforms and introducing fines and prison terms.
Expediente 25.600 tabled in 2026 to transform JPS into sole gambling regulator and operator, with ISP geo-blocking and expanded oversight.
JPS has intensified enforcement against unauthorized raffles and reminded that only JPS may administer and authorize lotteries and games of chance.

Questions

Is it illegal to advertise unlicensed gambling in Costa Rica?

Yes. Ley de Rifas y Loterías (Ley 1387), Article 1; Bill 25.057 on unauthorized sale and marketing of lotteries, sports bets and games of chance. Law 1387 and Bill 25.057 target unauthorized lotteries, betting and games; advertising or marketing such products is treated as prohibited unauthorized commercialization.

Who regulates online gambling in Costa Rica?

Junta de Protección Social (JPS) for state lottery and domestic sports betting; no dedicated national regulator for offshore-facing online gambling. The main law is Ley de Rifas y Loterías (Ley 1387) as core framework for lotteries and games of chance; legacy 1922 gambling statute for wider sector..

How can I check whether a gambling operator is licensed in Costa Rica?

No public national licence register for online gambling; offshore operators use municipal data-processing certificates without centralised listing.

What we could not confirm

Exact section numbers in Ley 1387 governing online advertising and digital platforms.
Whether any municipal ordinances directly regulate advertising by offshore online gambling operators.
Precise legal classification of online casino-style games offered by JPS, if any.
Current parliamentary status and final wording of Bills 25.057 and Expediente 25.600 as of September 2026.
Existence of any informal or internal JPS lists of authorized sales agents that are not publicly searchable online.
Whether Costa Rica has any specific statute or regulator treatment for loot boxes beyond general consumer law.
Whether prediction markets are treated as gambling, securities, or unregulated in Costa Rica.
Whether sweepstakes/social casinos are expressly permitted or only tolerated in practice.

Sources

Researched 2026-09-21 from public sources and summarised by the Brandfense team. Not legal advice — confirm with the regulator or your counsel before acting.