Monaco is known for its unique approach to casinos and gambling, where natives are not allowed to enter casino premises, while visitors can freely spend their money across several venues.
However, in recent years, the online gambling industry has expanded, and one question is becoming more relevant: where do online casinos fit into Monaco’s gambling industry in 2026?
And the short answer is that they don’t currently occupy a defined space in the regulatory system, but the country has potential to offer online operators a new market.
Monaco’s Gambling Framework Remains Focused on Authorised Local Gaming
Law No. 1.103 from 1987 is still the primary law regulating gambling in Monaco, making gambling a monopoly run by Société des Bains de Mer (SBM). This is also the only licensed operator in Monaco as of July 2026.
If players are looking for a new venue, they should visit the register on this regulator’s website to find new listings – if any recently became available. It’s also important to note that, if a casino isn’t licensed locally, it could take deposits but offer no consumer protection in case of a payout dispute.
Key provisions of the current law also include a prohibition on Monégasque citizens and residents from gambling in local and online casinos to protect them from potential gambling addiction and financial issues, while making sure all the profits from casinos are earned from foreigners.
Additionally, the current legal framework doesn’t establish a dedicated regulatory category for a list of sweepstake casinos. That distinction matters because the modern sweepstakes casino model is quite complex, which will be discussed below.
What’s more, traditional online casinos (where you can play games like roulette, blackjack, or poker) are not licensed or regulated.
Some online platforms may be accessible, and the upcoming draft bill – Projet de loi n° 722 – aims to alter the current law, define online games, and add several other changes, including extending the ban on Monégasque citizens and forbidding them to play online games.
With this in mind, online casinos, betting, poker, and lottery all fall under the grey market, while land-based casinos are legal. This means that online operators can’t offer proper consumer protection.
Based on current regulations, local “gambling houses” are allowed to serve only foreign residents (expatriates) and non-citizens who can show their foreign passports at the door.
No Dedicated Sweepstakes Casino Market
The difference between sweepstakes games and traditional online casino games is worth mentioning because sweepstakes don’t use direct monetary bets. The way sweepstakes casinos operate makes them more of a business model than a distinct legal gambling category under current Monaco laws.
The legal position of the platform depends on what the platform is offering, be it a genuine promotional sweepstakes, lottery, game of chance, or an online casino game. Current law states that its framework doesn’t apply to lotteries, mutual betting, and some prediction contests.
But the usual sweepstakes casino games come with two currencies, one being free currency players can’t redeem, and the other being sweepstakes currency, that could be redeemed for cash. With this setup, the operator could claim its users technically aren’t betting with money, because they aren’t purchasing anything.
However, the substance of these games matters. In the case where an individual from Monaco is able to play some games and, through winning, obtain money that can be withdrawn, the government may claim that it is more like gambling than a promotional game.
This is why sweepstakes remain in the grey area. A lack of dedicated sweepstakes legislation should therefore not be confused with an official endorsement of sweepstakes casinos.
Likewise, it would be too simplistic to state that every platform using sweepstakes mechanics is automatically prohibited.
What About the Usual Online Casinos?
In short, current laws don’t explicitly say that online casinos are legal. At the moment, most of this regulation is focused on physical gambling houses.
A proposed Law No. 722 proposes amending current gambling law to expand and formally define online games, require authorisation for online gambling, and enforce specific rules for online payments.
This law would also require that all online operations and technical infrastructure be located in Monaco, and that the operators use the .mc domain.
While this proposed change could bring many online operators to Monaco, it remains to be seen how many of them would be willing to explore the country and accept the proposed conditions. Players should keep in mind that a proposed law doesn’t mean the legislation is currently in force.
Can Residents Play in Offshore Casinos?
Local players should remain cautious, since the absence of a licensing framework doesn’t automatically mean offshore online casinos are legal for Monaco residents.
These platforms could easily be licensed in Malta, Curaçao, Gibraltar, the UK, etc., but that foreign license establishes the operator’s authorisation in that jurisdiction. It doesn’t necessarily give the operator authorisation under Monaco law to offer gambling services in Monaco.
Diversification of Casino-Style Entertainment
For a long time, Monaco has been associated with gambling venues, hospitality, and social experience related to brick-and-mortar casinos. But the rise of online casinos and sweepstakes platforms has brought a new gambling venue.
Regulators face increasingly complex questions about how these activities should be classified. Monaco’s proposed approach to online gaming suggests that the Principality is aware of this broader shift and has ways to establish a new venue for this type of entertainment.
Final Word
Monaco remains associated with its highly distinctive land-based casino tradition, keeping natives away from any casino type, while opening its doors to foreign players.
As of 2026, conventional online casinos still face the absence of a clearly established Monaco online-gambling licensing framework.
And as for sweepstakes casinos, there is an additional classification question: whether the promotional model actually places the activity outside Monaco’s gambling rules.
Offshore operators can be licensed outside of the country, but that still doesn’t give them legal entry to the Monaco markets.
However, Monaco is working on updating current laws and expanding support to online casinos, while maintaining proper boundaries for native people.
