Online casinos accepting players from Azerbaijan

When talking about online gambling, one cannot help but notice that there are many countries around the world that have it duly regulated and under control and others that actually don't. Some countries are fine with players gambling, both offline and online, but others have strict views on the matter. Especially Muslim countries.

Azerbaijan is a country that, even though a Muslim country, has a liberal view when it comes to gambling. The country has regulated some forms of gambling and doesn't do much for the unregulated forms.

Land-based gambling…

… in the country is banned, following a scandal that reached the news in 1998. The then-president Heydar Aliyev introduced the ban when the media reported that his son Liham Aliyev allegedly lost $6 million gambling with a Turkish tycoon. And even though the president denied the accusations, he immediately introduced a morality drive which banned all casinos and gambling in the country.

In 2001…

… however, the National Lottery called Azerlotereja was established, as a monopoly running lottery games and bingo. The next year, lotteries and bingo were formally legal and regulated, under the Ministry of Economic Development. Land-based casinos, however, still remained off-limits.

In 2003, though…

… when President Aliyev’s son – yes, the very same son – Liham Aliyev ascended to the presidency, the views and rules on gambling were loosened. However, unlicensed gambling houses were still being shut down. Sportsbetting, on the other hand, following a 13-year ban on gambling, was legalized in 2011, both online and offline. Both local and commercial operators were allowed to apply for a license and be active on the market as trustees of state-owned companies, but Topaz remained the leader on the market, to this day.

Online casinos…

… and poker remained prohibited, even though foreign operators were targeting the market. Considering many players from the country had access to these sites and were playing there, the government moved to block all illegal sites’ ISPs. On the other hand, sportsbetting in the country bloomed and continued striving to this day.

Legal Online Gambling in Azerbaijan

As mentioned…

… the only legal forms of online and land-based gambling in Azerbaijan are sportsbetting, lottery and bingo. Laws regulating these forms of gambling were introduced in 2001 and 2011, but so were taxes on both operators and players.

Sportsbetting, for instance, is taxed at 6% of a gross win, further 4% of any commissions generated by the retail network, and 4% that go to a state-run entity that allocates 30% of the money to the National Football Association. Players, ergo, those who win something while playing the lottery, must pay 10% tax. Luckily, sports bettors have been exempt from this taxation in October 2016.

In the meantime…

… there were efforts by members of the parliament to shut down the sportsbetting operations in the country, however, considering the revenue sportsbetting was generating for the country and the economic boost factor, they were dismissed by the opposition.

The conclusion is, players from Azerbaijan, legally, can only bet on sports and play lottery and bingo. However, considering many online casinos, operated by foreign companies still offer these players the chance to join and play games, Azeri gamblers still have a chance to place wagers on these games.

The thing is…

… even though online gambling industry is not regulated, only little is done to prevent Azeri players from gambling at overseas-based online casino sites. True, the government did order for IPSs to be blocked, but if somehow gamblers were to find a way to access international online casinos whose IPSs are not blocked, then they are free to gamble on those sites. The law is not enforced, so as long as online casino players find a site that accepts players from Azerbaijan, they can join it and play there.

Azerbaijan Online Casinos

Azeri online casino players…

… can find many licensed and trusted international online casinos to join, which accept players from Azerbaijan. There are many sites these players can trust because they are regulated by some renowned, tough regulators. Therefore, if concerned about their safety and security, Azeri players can rest assured that they'll get a completely safe experience if they play across sites monitored and controlled by regulators like the Malta Gaming Authority, Gibraltar, Kahnawake, and of course, the UK Gambling Commission.

These online casinos…

… allow players from all around the world to join. As such, they usually offer a massive choice of games, sometimes even in different languages, to attend to the diverse player base. These games are provided by the most respected software providers, names that any online casino player can recognize. Moreover, they give players the chance to claim various bonuses and they regularly run promotions and tournaments players can participate in and win excellent prizes.

To provide players with…

… an all-encompassing experience, these online casinos offer the most loyal players VIP Programs, too, therefore, Azeri players can receive special treatment and unique perks as long as they get a VIP status at the casino. Plus, a Customer Support service, which is usually available 24/7, is at their disposal in case they have questions or experience problems.

Games at Azerbaijan Online Casinos

As mentioned, players at Azerbaijan can legally only participate in lottery, bingo and sportsbetting. However, if they play across international online casinos, they get access to a plethora of games from different categories.

These games…

… are provided by leading developers such as Blueprint Gaming, NYX, Play’n GO, WMS, and iSoftBet, among others. If fans of slots, for instance, Azeri players can, therefore, enjoy some of the most popular titles such as Rambo, Kingdom of Fortune, Raging Rhino, Inferno Star and many others. Progressive jackpot slots like Cleopatra’s Gold, Platoon Wild Progressive and Wizard of Oz are also at their disposal.

However…

… they also have access to many other games categories and can enjoy anything from classic table games to scratchcards. The following are some of the variants Azeri players can access across international online casinos:

• Horseracing;
• Blackjack;
• Keno;
• Craps;
• Fixed odds games...

... among others. To ensure they are playing random and fair games, Azeri players can check the certificates online casinos hold by independent third-party auditors like TST, eCOGRA and Certified Fair Gambling, among others. These are agencies that guarantee fair and safe results by testing the games’ Random Number Generators. These are the devices that using an algorithm generate completely random, hence, fair game results.

Mobile Betting

Given the fact…

… that mobile devices have become an integral part of our lives, it is no wonder that Azeri players can also access international online casinos via their mobile devices. Topaz also gives players the chance to place bets via their mobile phones and tablets, so Azeri players are all caught up when it comes to modern gambling.

Wagering via mobile devices…

… can be done in two ways, via a browser or via an app. International online casino sites have optimized their sites for mobile play, and the very best ones have even developed dedicated apps that players can download to play on the go in just a few taps on their devices.

Speaking of devices, online casinos make sure their sites are compatible with any device powered by iOS, Windows or Android. This way, Azeri players have the opportunity to join a site on any smartphone or tablet powered by these operating systems.

Azerbaijan Online Banking & Casino Payment Methods

Considering online casino gambling…

… is not regulated, and even prohibited, Azeri players should be cautious when choosing a payment method to deposit and withdraw winnings with across online casinos. They should not choose payments like VISA or MasterCard if they don’t want their casino transactions to be on their bank statements at the end of each month.

However, luckily for them, there are many other payment solutions which can be connected to credit cards but using which no casino transactions are ever present on the bank statement. One word: eWallets. eWallets can be funded with many traditional payment methods, so players can use those funds to gamble online without ever revealing any banking details to the online casinos. Other options include one-time-usable vouchers, prepaid and gift cards.

The following are some of the alternative solutions that would work perfectly for Azeri players, wanting to keep their banking details away from casinos and their casino transactions away from their bank statements:

• ecoVoucher
• ePay;
• Dash;
• MiFinity;
• MuchBetter;
• JCB;
• Entercash;
• Jeton;
• Zimpler;
• Trustly;
• Neteller.

FAQs

1. Is the Azerbaijan manat an accepted currency across online casinos?

- Online casinos usually allow for all applicable currencies to be used for deposits and withdrawals. However, whether you’ll be able to use manat, it solely depends on the payment method you choose to use. Some allow currency conversion, others don’t, so you better double-check with the payment solution you choose to use for playing.

2. Do online casino sites provide Customer Support in Azerbaijani?

- Rarely do online casinos provide Customer Support in languages other than the mainstream ones like English, Spanish, French and German, for instance. However, since Azeri is pretty close to modern Turkish, you will be glad to learn that many online casinos provide Turkish-speaking Support agents you can get in touch with.

3. What is the legal gambling age in Azerbaijan?

- Considering sportsbetting, lottery and bingo are the three legal forms of gambling, all players participating in them must be at least 18 years old or older.

4. Is 18 the age limit across international online casinos as well?

- In most casinos, yes, 18 is the age limit. However, some casinos based in a country where the legal gambling age is 21 do not accept players which are younger than 21, so keep that in mind.

5. How can I be sure the casino accepts Azeri players?

- To find out whether Azeri players are accepted, you would have to read the casino's Terms and Conditions. You will find a list of countries which are restricted, so if you find Azerbaijan there, the casino does not accept Azeri players. Otherwise, you'll be free to join it.

6. How long do withdrawals take with eWallets?

- If you’ve never used eWallets, you will be happy to hear that deposits with eWallets are instant, and withdrawals take a lot less than with standard payment methods like credit and debit cards. Withdrawals with eWallets usually take from 24 hours to 2 days, which is a lot faster than other payment methods.

7. Where can I look to see which payment methods are accepted?

- When you load an online casino site, at the bottom of the homepage, you should be able to see the logos of the payment methods accepted. If not, you should find them in the Banking/Cashier page.

8. Could I find trusted online casinos that offer Live Casino games by Evolution Gaming?

- Sure! Most well-established online casinos offer games by the leading Live Dealer games developer Evolution Gaming.

9. How can I know my sensitive data is safe at an online casino?

- Online casinos employ high-end security measures to prevent fraud, money laundering, identity thefts and similar criminal activities. They also use SSL encryptions to ensure your money is safe, and they use identity verification procedures to make sure that you’re the one using the account and playing at the casino.

10. Which types of bonuses can Azeri players claim across online casinos?

- As long as you find an online casino that accepts Azeri players, you can claim all kinds of bonuses available there. These bonuses can be anything from No Deposit, Welcome Offers, 1^st Deposit Bonuses, Cashback Offers, VIP Offers, etc.