Following the turbulent period for Bolivia in the 20th century, which involved the succession of Governments, questionable elections, and Coup d’etats, all types of gambling in Bolivia became legalized in 2002. Before that time, gambling was outlawed in Bolivia in 1938, except for the national lottery.
Even though the first Brick and Mortar casino was launched in 2002, gambling in Bolivia didn’t have much effect until around 2015, when the online gambling industry became increasingly popular among punters. Since the past till recent times, there have been no regulations for online gambling in Bolivia. It is because online gambling is not a priority in this country.
They have only recently started to regulate online betting due to the pandemic, which means that Bolivia’s punters can access foreign online casinos without stress. And they will likely upgrade the regulations on online gambling because of the potential tax income that the Bolivian Government stands a chance to get from online casinos.
Bolivian residents who wish to gamble in the best casinos in Bolivia will not want to miss this write-up, as it contains details on Bolivian online casino. Please review our review and find out all you need to know as you walk your online gambling journey in this country.
Online Casinos in Bolivia
The first legal land-based casino in Bolivia was launched in 2002. The gambling industry has slowly gained a reputation. Currently, there are over 80 casinos in Bolivia, and even though they are limited in what they offer because of the gambling laws in Bolivia, they are still thriving.
Bolivia has no licensed online betting sites because their current laws do not refer to the internet and online gambling. But even then, their citizens can still bet online by using other countries’ offshore betting sites. Many online gambling sites accept customers from Bolivia and offer their services in Spanish, as Spanish is the official language in Bolivia.
Many benefits are attached to using these online casinos that offer betting services to Bolivian players. One of the benefits is that they offer all types of gambling in one place. The forms of gambling they offer include:
- Casino games
- Online sports betting
- Bingo
- Lottery games
- Poker
- Wagering on financial products.
Naturally, Bolivia has some indigenous sports betting shops around, but they are not all that profitable because of the disorganized nature of their gambling industry. Bolivians are sure to get the best offers on all their sports bets when they do their sports betting online.
In our own experience, online casinos are much preferred to land-based casinos in Bolivia. Gamblers can play their preferred gambling form remotely and conveniently on Bolivian online casinos, and these online casinos ensure they do everything in their power to satisfy their players. There are many services put in place by Bolivian online casinos to make their gamers’ gambling experience memorable; these services include bonuses and promotions, remarkable customer support, convenient payment methods etc.
History of Gambling in Bolivia
Bolivia has a notable history of gambling. The Bolivian Government and gambling were not too fond of each other, which led to the latter’s activities being completely banned between 1938 and 1996. However, after realizing they would also benefit economically if they legalized gambling, the Bolivian Government partially legalized it in 1996. During that period, 200 casino operators acquired temporary licenses to offer their services to players, and the country legalized slot machines as a state Monopoly.
Subsequently, in 2002, they decided to loosen their gambling restrictions even more and wholly legalized gambling in the country. Many experts in the betting industry deemed that the new Bolivian laws were too slack, and many labelled the country as a gambling paradise. Little did they know that they would later come to regret their decision. Because of their lax gambling laws, Bolivia became the target of Russian casino investors’ outcasts. During that time, we discovered that most of the Russian investments were not clean, therefore, the Bolivian Government stopped the in-flow of Russian investment into the country, and many casinos were closed in 2009.
Because of these events, the Bolivian Government enforced stricter laws and regulations in 2011, and operations in the gambling industry became more difficult because of these new gambling laws. Nevertheless, casino operators accepted these laws despite significant changes, including the higher tax rate operators are expected to pay the Government. The GCA (Gaming Control Authority) is now the administrator of any gambling-related activities. Although the gambling laws enforced in 2011 are well-detailed, there is no mention of anything related to online gambling.
Today, citizens of Bolivia can play casino games on land-based casinos as well as Bolivian online casinos. We will have you know that land-based casinos are licensed and regulated, so you shouldn’t have any problems going to any of their establishments to play your favourite games. The Authority of Taxation and Social Control Over Gaming Board are the entity in charge of regulating and licensing companies in Bolivia.
The country’s internet casino sector has not been regulated, and as a result, there are no approved and licensed online casinos operating in Bolivia. One good thing to note is that, even though online gambling can be considered illegal in Bolivia because there is nothing in their laws, the Government is very permissive towards it. Therefore, Bolivian players can only enjoy online gambling when registering an account in offshore jurisdictions. There are many online gambling sites available to players from Bolivia, but it is essential to learn about their features before deciding to play on their sites.
The Bolivian Government is showing interest in making some laws changes, which can be good news for players, as they can legalize Bolivian online casinos. But given the experience of land-based gambling in Bolivia, where the casinos are currently taxed heavily, it is highly likely that even after legalizing online casinos in Bolivia, they will still impose high tax rates on them. Due to this reason, Bolivian online casinos will not be able to compete with other foreign gambling establishments.
Are Casinos Legal in Bolivia?
Land-based casinos in Bolivia have been legalized since 2002. Many physical establishments offer their betting services to players who have come of legal age. Bolivia’s legal gambling age is 18, and only people aged 18 and above are allowed into these physical establishments.
The same cannot be said about the online casino counterpart, as there is nothing related to online gambling in the revised gambling laws of 2011. So, it is safe to say that online gambling in Bolivia is not legal. However, the Government is indifferent to players who sign up for foreign online casinos, and they do not chase them down. Likewise, they do not hold any grudge against the offshore operators that offer their services to Bolivian players. To sum up, because online gambling is deemed illegal in Bolivia does not mean that their citizens cannot still engage in online gambling activities.
Online Gambling Laws and Regulations in Bolivia
In Bolivia, only one principal law regulates all gambling activities nationwide. This is the law 060 on the lottery and gambling games, known as the “Ley 060 Sobre Juegos de Lotería y de Azar“. This law implies that online gambling in Bolivia is legal and places boundaries on where casinos can be built, what they can offer to players, and how they can expand. However, this law does not apply to online gambling. Therefore, online gambling is considered illegal, but the Bolivian Government would not go after any citizen who creates an account with these foreign online establishments.
Following the recent changes in the 2011 gambling laws, the Government formed a new regulatory entity known as Autoridad de Fiscalización y Control Social del Juego (AJ). This authority oversees and gives licenses to all the casino operators in Bolivia. Still, since it is not an online casino authority, it is hard to say that they are involved in the activities of citizens and offshore online casinos.
What Deposit Methods Are Available for Bolivian
Expert gamblers already know the best deposit methods available for Bolivian players. If you are a novice in the online casino industry and are looking to begin your online gambling journey, you might not know the best methods of making deposits in these online casinos as they are foreign-based. This section gives you an idea of what deposit methods to expect and the best one to choose if you are a Bolivian Player. The most popular deposit methods available to Bolivian players are Visa, Mastercard, AstroPay, Xoom and Mercado Pago. These options are favourable because of their ease of use, security and fast deposit duration.
As a gambler, you must check out the available banking options when you look for the best-suited Bolivian online casino for yourself. Deposit Methods usually differ between various sites, and not all offer deposit methods favourable to Bolivian players. Therefore, you have to make sure you find the right site that makes you make deposits to their site hitch-free. Nevertheless, most foreign online establishments offer deposit methods that favour players from all regions.
Bolivian Players’ Favourite Games
The main attraction of all casinos (land-based and online) is their portfolio of games. Players will stand the chance of earning cool cash when they play any of the games in casinos with real money. There are a lot of games players will be able to play on land-based casinos, including slots, table games, poker, lottery, bingo etc. Types and variations of games in land-based casinos are limited. Still, Bolivian online casinos expose players to a whole new gambling experience which offers all types of games with many different variations. Out of all the tons of games offered by casinos, there are a few of them that Bolivian players consider favourites, and they are:
Bingo
Bingo is the most popular online casino game in Bolivia. Bingo is among the first gambling games to be legalized in Bolivia, hence the fondness of players with it. This game is a game of chance in which players mark off numbers on cards as the anchor of the game randomly draws numbers and calls them. A player who first marks off five numbers consecutively or in another required pattern is the winner in this game. As online bingo is not legal in Bolivia, players can register on a foreign site that offers this game to play it.
Lottery
A lottery is also a top-rated game in Bolivia, and it is a lot like bingo. It is also a game of chance in which players try their luck by randomly selecting lucky numbers, and a win is awarded if the numbers a player selects correspond with the one the game announced as the winner. Bolivia has a Monopoly on the land-based lottery market, and many people are readily available to play this game. They can also play it online via foreign casinos if they find it stressful to look for local lottery businesses.
Poker
Poker works on strategies unlike many other casino games deemed games of chance. Before you can win on poker, you must have well-ordered strategies. Poker players must be skilful, as the game is gratifying and highly competitive. Because of its versatility, poker is an exciting game to play. Naturally, you can play it in Bolivian online casinos, where you even have access to many variations of poker games.
Game providers
Game providers are known as the masterminds behind all casino games. While some have been in existence since the establishment of gambling, some of them just recently launched. It is essential to check for games with reputable software providers because of safety and also so that you can enjoy a quality online gambling experience. Some of the most popular game providers you should look out for include Microgaming, Netent, Evolution, Yggdrasil, Real Time Gaming, Red Tiger Gaming, Pragmatic Play, and Ezugi, among many others.
Bitcoin games
Bitcoin games are just as the name implies. They are games only available to players that make Bitcoin deposits to online casinos that offer Bitcoin games. Plenty of casinos have begun to offer particular bitcoin games as a tribute to the cryptocurrency. These games give players a unique gaming experience with HD graphics and top-notch gameplay.
Most Preferred Casino Bonuses in Bolivia
Bonuses and promotions are also one of the pivots of online casinos. This feature also contributes to the upper hand that online casinos have over land-based ones, as they do not offer bonuses and promotions. Bonuses are special incentives offered by online casinos to their players to be able to play their favourite games. There are a lot of bonuses you will find at any Bolivian online casino, including the welcome bonus, no deposit bonus, free spins, cashback bonus, reload bonus, VIP and Loyalty Bonus etc.
Most of the bonuses Bolivian online casinos offer can only be claimed when players deposit to the site, while other cases require no deposit. Players can use the bonuses to play their favourite games and earn cool cash. However, remember that all bonuses have a time limit and specific terms and conditions to be met before you can claim your bonus winnings. The most prominent term is the wagering requirement, and it may be favourable or not depending on the type of game you use the bonus to play and the casino that offers the said bonus.
Although there are tons of bonuses and promotions available to Bolivian players, the most preferred ones among them are:
Free Spins Bonus
Free spins bonus is the most common type of bonus in Bolivia and worldwide. This bonus can be classified as a no-deposit bonus that allows players to play slot games without making a deposit and play to win real cash. Most of the time, these free spins are only available on selected slot games, which means it works on any other slot machine apart from the ones chosen by the casino. If you play with this bonus and win real money, you must meet the wagering requirement before claiming your bonus winnings.
Cashback Bonus
This cashback bonus offers players a percentage of their lost money. It is usually available on table games, live dealer games, and sports betting. Since poker and sports betting are popular in Bolivia, players always look for cashback bonuses on their favourite online casinos. The cashback percentage offered to players usually varies depending on the casino. Some casino sites offer loyalty programs in which your cashback percentage will be higher if you have a higher program level.
Free Bets
Free Bets can also be classified as a no deposit bonus. This bonus is only available in sports betting. Players can stake in various sports games with this bonus without having to make a deposit, and they stand the chance of winning real money with the free bets.
How to Claim These Bonuses
It is straightforward to claim bonuses and promotions at any online casino. All you need to do is to follow through with some necessary steps. Most importantly, you must have created an account with any online casino before you can have access to any of their bonus offers. Like we said above, players need to deposit before they can claim most of the bonuses by any online casino, except no deposit bonus and free spins. The welcome / sign-up bonus can only be claimed once, while you can claim other bonuses many times.
Some bonuses require that you input specific bonus codes on the site before you can claim the bonuses, while in others, you only need to sign up or log in and click on the bonus offer on the promotions page to claim them. You might even need to contact the online casino’s customer support team in some other casinos before you can claim the bonus. In conclusion, players should occasionally check their casino’s promotions page to be regularly updated about the latest promotional offer.
Payment Methods in Bolivia
There are quite a several options you can use to make payments into online casinos as a Bolivian player. Today, the most popular options used in Bolivia are debit and credit cards (Visa and MasterCard). Credit and debit cards are Bolivia’s most popular money transfer options, and making payments with them is very convenient. These payment options are secure, and their deposits are swift, but their withdrawal might take between 1 – 3 banking days before they can be credited.
Other payment methods that deserve recognition are MercadoPago and AstroPay. The former is commonly used among Bolivian players, and players are fond of using it whenever they find the payment method on any online casino site. AstroPay is also a good payment option, and its withdrawal duration is much faster than credit card payments.
Less Popular Payment Methods in Bolivia
Bitcoin is the top-rated cryptocurrency of all time, and because of its legacy, many online casinos are implementing it as one of their available payment options. People in Bolivia are also fond of this cryptocurrency and make payments to online casinos using the bitcoin payment method.
The Bitcoin payment method offers fast payments and withdrawals to people using it, and unlike some other payment options, they do not collect processing fees. This payment method offers the highest security among other payment methods, and players who make deposits using Bitcoin will have access to Bitcoin games. Despite all its advantages, the Bitcoin payment method is not as popular as the other payment methods.
E-Wallets
E-wallets are also one of the options players can use to deposit into a Bolivian online casino. Still, many people do not use it because it comes with fees, and most online casinos do not credit bonuses to players if they use the E-wallet payment options. The popular e-wallet payment methods are Neteller, Skrill and PayPal.
Top Casinos
After learning about online gambling in Bolivia, and the features of online casinos like the games, bonuses and promotions, payment methods etc., it is essential to know about the best online casinos to pick as a Bolivian Player. These online casinos offer top-quality gambling services, lucrative bonuses, and promotions for their customers. Below is a list of some of the top online casinos in Bolivia and their respective welcome bonuses:
- 1XBet – A welcome bonus of up to $1,500 and 150 free spins.
- Jackpot City – A 100% welcome bonus of up to $1,600.
- Casumo Casino – A 100% welcome bonus of up to $1,200.
- Joo Casino – A welcome bonus of up to $1,000 and 100 free spins.
- Melbet – A welcome bonus of up to $1,750 and 290 free spins.
- Rockett – A 100% welcome bonus of up to 1 BTC.
- Spin Casino – A 100% deposit bonus up to $1000
- 22 Bet Casino – A 100% welcome bonus up to 300 Euros
- Betway Casino – A deposit bonus of up to $1200
- Spin Casino – A deposit bonus of up to $1000
- Ruby Fortune – A 100% welcome bonus up to $750
- Euro Palace – A welcome bonus up to $600
- Gaming Club Casino – Double deposit bonus up to $350
- Royal Vegas Casino – A welcome deposit bonus up to $1200
- Mummysgold Casino – A welcome bonus up to $500
FAQ
In Bolivia’s 2011 revised gambling laws, there is no mention of online gambling. Therefore, online gambling is illegal. However, the Government is tolerant of online gambling in Bolivia, and players can play their favourite games in foreign online casinos.
The legal gambling age of players in Bolivia is 18 years. Be it online gambling or offline gambling. You must reach this age mark to be eligible for gambling.
Bolivian players have many games they prefer over other online casino games, including lottery, bingo, sports betting, poker, and even Bitcoin games. These games offer players the best online gambling experience when they play them.
Not all casino sites offer gambling services to Bolivian players that are safe. There are a lot of scam sites that players will come across, and the best way to discover them is that, before you choose a site, look for a reputable license, this information is mainly found on the bottom page of the site.
Unfortunately, the Boliviano is not used as a currency at most online gambling sites. Players must exchange their Bolivian currency for other currencies supported by the site. Some sites that target Bolivians, however, accept it.
The body that regulates gambling in the whole of Bolivia is the Autoridad de Fiscalización y Control Social del Juego (AJ). But its jurisdiction does not reach online gambling services.
Gambling has not always been legal in Bolivia. From 1938 to 1996, gambling was firmly outlawed in Bolivia before they loosened their restrictions partially in 1996 and finally wholly legalized gambling in 2002. Due to some shortcomings in their gambling laws, they revised them in 2011. This new gambling law has drastically affected the gambling industry, causing it to have only two mainland-based casino operators in the country today.
Deposits across all payment methods in Bolivia are instant, but the same can’t be said about withdrawals. Although the E-wallets and Bitcoin method withdrawals are instant, the remaining methods, like credit and debit cards, AstroPay etc., usually take 1 – 3 days before the withdrawal is completely processed.
Most online casinos do not charge any fees for withdrawal, but a few of them might. You should check the banking page of your preferred online casino to know if they will deduct processing fees. But generally, e-wallet payment methods like Skrill and PayPal usually charge small processing fees.
Bolivia’s most popular payment methods are the credit and debit card options and Mercado Pago and AstroPay. You can also make payments to online casinos using E-wallets and Bitcoin.
That depends on your region. Many online casino sites restrict players from specific regions from playing on their sites. You can surely use these sites if you are not from those restricted regions.
No, there are tons of other online gambling sites that Bolivian players can use. The list we made is just a recommendation of some of the best online casino sites in Bolivia, and Bolivian players are not restricted to the sites on the list.
It is straightforward to get started with online gambling. All you need to do is research any online casino of your choice, register an account with them, make a deposit and claim your bonus, and begin to enjoy a quality online gambling experience with your chosen site.
You can use one or more gambling sites. There are a lot of casinos available to Bolivian players, and some are better than others. If you feel that one online gambling site doesn’t suit your taste, you can try others.
Indeed, you can gamble with your mobile phone. Most of the online casinos in Bolivia built their site using HTML5 technology, allowing players to have an online gambling experience on their mobile devices.
