Legal Gambling Age in the US

Gambling is legal in most U.S. states and in most countries around the world. But the age at which you can place your first official wager is different depending on your location.

Minimum Legal Gambling Age by State

Gambling is legal in the United States, but restricted. Most laws are up to the individual states, which in many cases allow certain types of gambling but not other kinds. How old do you have to be to gamble? In some states, wagers can be placed at age 18, in others it’s 21. Click on the state name in the table below to learn more about online casinos and sports betting in that state.

Minimum Age To Enter Casinos

While many states require players to be 21 to gamble at casinos, others offer an 18-year-old threshold. The difference in most cases involves whether the casino sells alcohol.

States where the minimum legal age for casino gambling is 18 (typically this applies to tribal casinos, though some states allow casinos that don’t serve alcohol to allow players who are 18 and older):

• California
• Florida (bingo and poker at tribal casinos)
• Idaho
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Montana
• New York
• Oklahoma
• Rhode Island
• Washington
• Wisconsin (only at 2 tribal casinos)
• Wyoming

Georgia has strict anti-gambling laws, but those 18 and older can bet while on cruise ships off the coast.

RELATED: Learn More About Online Gambling Laws & Federal Regulations in the United States

How Old Do You Have to Be to Gamble in Other Countries?

Countries vary on how betting is regulated and the minimum legal age to gamble.

United Kingdom: The minimum age across the U.K. is 18 years old, but that number dips to just 16 for lotteries and soccer pools. Many of the world’s top online casinos and sportsbooks are based in the U.K.

China: Gambling in mainland China has been illegal since the Communist Party took over the country in 1947. The territories of Hong Kong and Macau are global legal gambling destinations. Macau is one of the world’s top gambling destinations and you can be 18 and hit the tables there — unless you’re from there. The minimum age for locals is 21.

Japan: The minimum age is 20, but most gambling is technically illegal, with exceptions including horse racing and auto racing.

Brazil: Gambling in South America’s largest country has been illegal since 1948, with some exceptions (poker and horse racing at houses and racetracks, respectively). Bills have been introduced to allow gaming and to allow the government in on an unregulated market worth billions of U.S. dollars.

India: The legal gambling age in the country of one billion is 21, though different states have different local laws, similar to the U.S. Online gaming has been legalized in just two states though there are no laws prohibiting playing on offshore sites.

Canada: The legal age to gamble in Canada is 19, whether it be casino gambling or at a sportsbook.

New Zealand and Australia: In Australia, sports betting and lotteries are legal at age 18, but online casinos and live betting are illegal for all. However, there is no penalty to play at online offshore casinos. The minimum age in New Zealand is 20.

Russia: Online gambling is illegal in Russia but sports betting is OK. The legal age is 18.

Europe: The majority of European countries have a minimum age of 18 to gamble, but there are several exceptions. In Belgium, Germany, Greece and Lithuania, the legal age is 21. In Denmark and Estonia, it’s only 16. Spain and France are, like the U.K., 18. In Portugal, tourists can gamble at age 18 but Portuguese nationals must wait until they’re 21.