Online casinos accepting players from the Bahamas

If you’ve travelled across exotic islands and places where tourism is flourishing, then you know that casinos are part of the attraction they offer to visitors. Casinos are appealing and the fun and excitement that goes on around the casino floor are unparalleled.

Therefore, you should not be surprised that in a country like the Bahamas, land-based casino gambling is allowed and legal. Some of the most lavish casino establishments are there to welcome tourists who wish to try their luck on popular table games and slot machines.

The Bahamas…

… being an exclusive, thrilling place to be for tourists, legalized land-based gambling back in 1969, and started regulating it with the Lotteries and Gaming Act 1969. The same year, the Gaming Board for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas was established. With the Lotteries and Gaming Act, however, no national lottery was established in the Bahamas, and only the licensing of casinos was approved.

The rules and laws for gambling in the country were perfectly clear: any visitor that wants to participate in gambling can do so, but no locals can. That’s right, while gambling is legal and regulated, it is not available for the residents of the Bahamas. Bahamians are prevented from entering the land-based casinos, but tourists can enjoy all kinds of casino games, as well as place wagers on horse racing and sports. Even though the horseracing and sportsbetting are allowed, however, still the country generates the majority of revenues from casino gambling.

This is due to the fact…

… that many casino establishments opened their doors to tourists across the many islands, the largest one being the Baha Mar Casino and Hotel. The casinos across the islands are first-class casinos, with hotel accommodation for visitors to use, which have greatly contributed to the country’s economy, and have had millions of tourists throughout the years.

Legal Online Gambling in the Bahamas

When it comes to online gambling…

… the rules stay the same. Even though not explicitly stated in the Lottery and Gaming Act of 1969, it is a legal form of gambling, but again, forbidden for locals. Tourists that visit the island can engage in online gambling, but not locals.

In 2013…

… a referendum against launching lottery and against online gambling was introduced. However, Prime Minister Perry Christie argued that gambling regulatory legislation should be reviewed, and finally, the government decided to still legalize online gambling for the Bahamas in a restricted form. The next year, the Gaming Act 2014 was introduced, which allowed restricted online gambling to be organized in places called web shops. The first web shops were opened in 2015, which allowed tourists to do online gambling on number products/lotteries, as well as online casino products which are based on Random Number Generators.

However…

… Live Dealer products and online sportsbetting were strictly prohibited. In 2017, the government started discussions on establishing a national lottery in the Bahamas. If established, it was supposed to be run by a private contractor. But, to this day, the national lottery is still not set up.

In 2018, the government proposed an increase of online gambling revenue tax, from the current 11% to a new revenue-related tier rate of 20% to 50%. The new tax rate was then included in the 2018-2019 Budget. A 5% on customer deposits tax was also mentioned.

In 2019…

… the Bahamian Senate approved the amendments over the next tax rate to the Gaming House Operator Regulations. The new tax starts at 15% for the first $24 million in revenue, which can increase to 17.5% for revenue over $24 million. The 5% tax on customer deposits which was first suggested in 2018 was set to be 5% for winnings of up to $1,000 and 7.5% for winnings over that sum. This customer deposit tax, however, does not apply for casino winnings, but for lottery/numbers products only.

The Bahamas Online Casinos

The laws are clear in the Bahamas – locals cannot engage in both land-based and online gambling licensed in the country. However, there are still offshore operators who target players from the islands and allow them to join and enjoy playing online casino games. And despite the ban, there’s no record of Bahamian players ever being prosecuted for accessing these sites.

Therefore…

… Bahamian players may access online casino sites, neither the government nor the internet service providers have ever put any effort into blocking these websites. If you’re a player from the Bahamas, you will be glad to hear that in case you wish to join and play across international online casino sites, you can still do so without being punished for it.

Online casinos…

… that accept players from the Bahamas offer all kinds of perks and benefits. Considering they accept people from all around the globe, they try to cater to all of their preferences and needs. Regardless of the choice of games you prefer, or the types of bonuses and promotions you wish to claim, you will see that you have a huge selection to pick from.

Moreover…

… international online casino sites usually hold licenses by at least two respected online gambling regulators. This proves that they are completely safe to join and abide by rules to treat players with respect. If you find an online casino site that is licensed to operate in one or more of the following jurisdictions, you can rest assured that your gambling time will be top-notch, jurisdictions like the UK, Kahnawake, Malta and Gibraltar, among others.

Finally…

… these online casino sites that Bahamian players can join offer them professional Customer Support they can contact whenever they experience problems or have questions, as well as a dedicated VIP Program. VIP Programs are offered for the most loyal players, which reward them for their loyalty with higher Cashbacks and deposit and withdrawal limits, special gifts, and exclusive bonuses, among other benefits. 

Games at the Bahamas Online Casinos

Across the online casinos…

… based in another country, Bahamian players have no restrictions when it comes to the choice of games they can play. Even though they cannot play these games across online casinos licensed to operate in their own country, they can do so across international sites.

The games…

… provided at these sites arrive from some of the most successful, premier software developing studios. As such, these are first-class games, played by millions of players across the globe. They come with different themes, impressive graphics and even in many languages. They are provided by names like Thunderkick, Authentic Gaming, Red Tiger Gaming, Quickspin, and Big Time Gaming, the mastermind behind the Megaways mechanics, among others.

You can enjoy games that belong in some of the following categories:

• Video slots;
• Table games;
• Video poker;
• Online bingo;
• Online lotteries;
• Horseracing betting;
• Progressive slots;
• eSports betting;
• Scratchcards;
• Live Dealer games.

These are just some of the main categories of games that you can get access to. You can rest assured that the games, coming from the above-mentioned software developers, are completely random and fair. They are all running on an RNG device, which is regularly tested by trusted auditing companies such as eCOGRA, for instance.

Mobile Betting

The rules for mobile gambling…

… for the Bahamian players are the same: they cannot gamble on mobile devices on sites licensed by the Gaming Board for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, but they can on international online casinos.

Offshore online casinos ensure to have their sites optimized for mobile play, given the fact that today, mobile devices are used just as or even more than desktop devices.

Mobile gambling…

… is trending, therefore, Bahamian players can rest assured that they will find sites that they can join via their mobile devices. Whether their devices run on Android, iOS or Windows, they can still load the casino of their choice via their smartphones or tablets and experience seamless gambling.

If they want, however, they can also download casino apps on their devices and play in a few simple taps. Most popular online casinos have made sure to develop native apps which can be downloaded via Google Play Store or Apple Store. That way, players can simply download them and have their online casinos at the tip of their fingers, literally.

The Bahamas Online Banking & Casino Payment Methods

Considering Bahamian players…

… are not supposed to gamble online, or offline for that matter, the most advisable thing to do when choosing an online banking method to use across online casinos is choosing a method with which their casino transactions won’t appear on their bank statements.

Therefore, the wisest thing to do is use alternative paymentmethods instead of traditional ones which are connected to their bank account. Such payment solutions, to give a few examples, are prepaid cards, vouchers, eWallets and cryptocurrencies.

The following are some of the recommended payment methods Bahamian players can use:

• Bitcoin;
• Skrill;
• MuchBetter;
• STICPAY;
• MiFinity;
• Jeton;
• Trustly;
• DASH.

If the Bahamian dollar is not an option with these payment methods, you can always use some of the alternative mainstream currencies which are available with most of them. Currency conversion fees would probably apply, however.

FAQs

1. Which bonuses can Bahamian players expect to find across international online casinos?

- Each operator has the right to run an offer that suits its player base. Therefore, across international online casinos, you may find offers such as No Deposit, Cashback, First Deposit Bonus, Welcome Bonus, High-Roller Bonuses, all kinds of daily, monthly and weekly bonuses and many customer-tailored bonuses for specific player groups.

2. Are there any online casinos I can join which offer Microgaming’s slots?

- Sure! As long as you find an online casino that accepts players from the Bahamas and is powered by Microgaming, you can play the leading software developer’s games on any device.

3. What is the gambling age limit across international online casinos?

- International online casinos, being based in different countries, have different age limits when it comes to gambling. Some allow players who are 18 or older to join, while others only allow players which are 21 or older.

4. How to discover whether a casino I’d like to join accepts Bahamian players?

- While you’re eyeing casinos to join, make sure you read their Terms & Conditions page. This is where you will learn about all the eligibility limitations, a list of restricted countries included.

5. Where can I find the list of payment methods accepted?

- Any online casino you load and explore would probably have the payment methods’ logos displayed somewhere on the homepage. If not, it should probably display them in a separate page named Payment Methods, Banking Methods or Cashier.

6. Can I make withdrawals with prepaid cards or are they only available for deposits?

- Unfortunately, most, if not all, prepaid cards can only be used for deposits. If you’re looking for a method with which you can also make withdrawals, you better choose an eWallet.

7. How can Bahamian players be sure their sensitive data is safe with online casinos?

- Each online casino has its own policy when it comes to information protection. However, they put a lot of effort into keeping that information safe. All of them, for instance, use an SSL encryption to ensure your transactions are safe and protected. Plus, they all use powerful firewalls to secure all confidential information.

8. Is gambling with cryptocurrencies legal in the Bahamas?

- Cryptocurrencies, due to their nature, are decentralized and away from the eyes of the authorities. Therefore, in general, they can be used by anyone, anywhere in the world. If you’re considering using them across international online casino sites, beware, since transactions with crypto coins are irreversible.

9. Must Bahamian players download casino apps to access the games across online casinos?

- No. Players are free to decide whether they want to play via a web browser on mobile-compatible sites or via an app. You are the one who needs to decide whether to download the app or not, no one can ever oblige you to do so.

10. Will online gambling ever be legally allowed to Bahamian players?

- Considering the Bahamas have made a lot of changes when it comes to offline and online gambling rules in the past, and given the fact ministers are trying to be up to date with the online gambling trends, it would be no surprise if amendments to the laws were presented. Whether they would be approved, it remains to be seen.