Online casinos accepting players from Costa Rica

Only a small number of countries across the globe have had gambling regulated in the 1990s, and these were mostly countries with flourishing tourism, to attract even more tourists. Of course, there are such countries where gambling is greatly enjoyed for years, so their governments had to control and oversee it in order to keep players safe, like the UK.

However, there’s one country that stands out from the rest in this regard, as it was among the first countries with legal casino gambling at that time, Costa Rica.

Costa Rica...

… is the small Central American country which has regulated gambling way back, with the gambling law Ley de Regulación de Apuestas, Casinos y Juegos de Azar. It has throughout the years become a casino gambling hub, attracting more and more players each year, as well as investors. If you’re trying to stay on track with gambling developments and news, you must have noticed that the country hosts many gambling conferences on regular basis.

The country has fully embraced…

… gambling as a paramount contributor to its growth. The gambling and tourism industries in the country are functioning together. They both contribute to each other's revenues and are so interconnected that one cannot really work without the other. But don’t be fooled to think that the regulation is loose.

On the contrary…

… gambling is strictly regulated. The Costa Rican Gambling Commission, which developed the legislation, is responsible for issuing licenses and supervising the industry. Companies interested in providing servicesin the country need to apply for a gambling license, but to do that, they must be incorporated in Costa Rica. While casinos are legal, they must operate as part of a hotel complex, and they are only open from 6 pm until 2 am, not 24 hours as casinos normally do.

Sure, a new law yet to come in effect…

… may change that, but as of now, casinos are pretty much controlled.So are the games offered. In theory, blackjack is banned in most casinos, because it is illegal to place bets on games with random outcomes. But it is still available in some casinos, so, that’s somewhat confusing. The same goes for rummy.

As far as the number of casinos across the country goes, there are around 30 casinos, and the majority of them are located in San José, the country’s capital, even though the largest of them all is in Alajuela, called Fiesta Casino. As mentioned, new casino investments and construction projects are constantly happening there, because the country is a real paradise for tourists.

Best Online Casinos in Costa Rica

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Legal Online Gambling in Costa Rica

While land-based gambling is legal…

… and strictly regulated, the same does not go for online gambling. In theory, online gambling is legal, and operators need to have a proper gambling license in order to operate in the country. However, since gambling is legal in the country since the 1990s, many operators located their operations in Costa Rica without getting proper supervision.

The only license operators can apply for…

… is for data-processing, therefore, they are not specifically licensed to offer online casino games. Even though there are hundreds of online casinos based in Costa Rica, but the lack of clear legislation and supervision makes them rather unreliable to play at. Players in the past were often left without their payouts since no one actually oversees them.

Locals are actually forbidden…

… to participate in online gambling, and maybe that’s for the best, because casinos licensed in Costa Rica are basically operating without a proper license, and are not supervised. But there are no laws against them accessing international online casino sites. Even though efforts to properly regulate online gambling in the country have been going on for years now, no new law has come into effect as of yet.

Online gambling legislation was proposed…

… and even drafted back in 2013, in order to establish proper online gambling control board. With the new legislation, the board would charge a licensing fee of $50,000 a year and would be funded by the tax on the gross income of online operators. With that, the operators would be better monitored and regulated, and the Costa Rican online gambling market would be more transparent and way safer than it is today. Until then, the best option for players from Costa Rica is to visit and play at international online casino sites.

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Costa Rican Online Casinos

Playing at online casinos…

… “licensed" in Costa Rica is not recommended. As mentioned, these casinos do not have a license to offer online gambling services but have licenses for data processing, plus no one oversees them at present. New legislation may come in effect soon, but for now, these are not sites that you can trust in. Plus, as a Costa Rican player, you are forbidden to play at sites licensed in the country. But you’re not forbidden to access international online casino sites.

Locals are not prosecuted…

… for accessing international online casino sites, and basically, these are the only options for them if they want to experience online gambling. Plus, those casinos located in the country are not even allowed to offer their services to locals. So, if a player from the country, make sure you explore international casino sites.

Even if you stumble across…

… global casinos blocked by ISPs, you won't be prosecuted or punished for using VPNs to get access to the sites. Nevertheless, rare are the gambling sites which are blocked, so you have a huge choice of international online casinos to explore and join. Before you decide on the one to join, however, make sure it has a proper license to operate and is overseen by a legit regulator, like the UK Gambling Commission or the Swedish Spelinspektionen. These two regulators are as tough as they get, so you won’t need to worry about your safety or your payouts, as you would if you were playing at Costa Rica-licensed online casinos.

Games at Costa Rican Online Casinos

The games available in your country…

… are plenty. Land-based casinos are allowed to offer poker, roulette and slot machines, and as mentioned, even though in theory illegal, some are offering eve blackjack and rummy. However, should you get access to international online casino sites, you will see that your game choices will get much bigger and better.

A whole new world…

… will appear in front of you when you join an international online casino. You’ll be able to try out many variants of the classic games offered in your country, but in addition, you’ll get access to game types which would be brand new to you. The following only scratch the surface:

Many combos of two, three or more game types are available as well, such as Slingo or Live Slots, merging features and concepts and offering an even more exciting experience of casino games fans.

The thing is, developers make sure…

… players get the widest choice of games possible at their deposal. And, they are always competing against each other in which one gets to create the most innovative games. Providers like NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Evolution, Playtech and Microgaming do their best, use the latest technologies and invent the most unique concepts when creating their games. Plus, they make sure they release at least one new game each month! That’s why they are among the top, most popular developers in the entire online gambling industry. Therefore, look for sites powered by them or other leading developers, and you’ll experience an all-encompassing, awesome online casino thrill!

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Mobile Betting

You probably know that…

… online casino games are also available on mobile devices. The thing is, the mobile gambling industry is a forever-increasing one, with close to 50% of players preferring playing on their smartphones and tablets instead of desktop devices. Now, the question is, are mobile games available in Costa Rica?

Yes, you can play mobile games…

… in your country, considering you join an international online casino site. You would be amazed to learn that developers have optimized their games to be perfectly compatible with mobile devices, and operators have optimized their sites to make these games play seamlessly on any device. Therefore, you can just take your phone or tablet and load your favourite online casino to experience gambling on the go.

Costa Rica Online Banking & Casino Payment Methods

When it comes to choosing a method…

… to use to fund your international online casino account and cash out your winnings, things can be somewhat tricky. While online gambling is not illegal, it is illegal for locals to play at Costa Rica-licensed casinos. Whether that applies to international casinos, it is not clear.

That's why to stay on the safe side…

… you better avoid using traditional payment methods like credit/debit cards and bank transfer, when depositing and withdrawing across online casinos. You don't want to risk causing yourself problems when you can always use so many other alternative solutions like mobile payments, eWallets, prepaid cards and eVouchers, as well as many cryptocurrencies.

The following are your options:

Of course, there are many other solutions you can use, but remember to avoid using those that are directly connected to your bank account, wire transfers or payment processing services using which your online gambling transaction might end up on your bank statement, to avoid any possible problems.

FAQ

1. Is Spanish a supported language across many international online casinos?

Yes. Spanish is a widely-spoken language, therefore, most, if not all, international online casinos support it, so you won’t have a problem finding one that does.

2. How to know whether an online casino accepts players from my country?

Online casinos display the list of restricted countries, usually in the Terms and Conditions section. Explore the T&C page, and if no info can be found there, start the registration procedure. If players from your country are not accepted, you won’t be able to complete the registration.

3. Is the Costa Rican colón an accepted currency across online casinos?

International online casinos make sure all of their players are satisfied with the offering, and normally, allow them to use any applicable currency. Therefore, you should find a decent number of casinos that do accept the colón.

4. Is it possible for the government to fully regulate online gambling in Costa Rica soon?

As a matter of fact, yes. As mentioned, the government has put on an effort to regulate online gambling better and introduce a gambling board that would oversee online casinos’ operations.

5. Will I be able to find a casino with Spanish-speaking Customer Support?

Sure. Many online casinos that support Spanish would probably allow you to contact a Spanish native-speaking agent to assist you with whatever you need.

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

The gambling age limit differs across online casinos, but it is usually either 18 or 21 years old or older. It depends on the country where the casino is based and the gambling limits and laws in that country.

7. Do international online casinos offer apps that I can download in my country?

Not all, but most of them do offer their dedicated casino apps. These apps are there for your convenience, to give you quick access to your favourite games, but they’re not mandatory. You don’t need to download an app in order to play via your mobile device; you can always use your mobile browser.

8. Which method is best to use for withdrawals?

This would depend on your preferences and needs. Some would argue that cryptocurrencies and eWallets are the best, as they are cost-effective and provide you with the fastest payouts. But then again, it all depends on what you’re looking for, so explore your options nicely before you choose your withdrawal method.

9. Can I explore the payment methods list before I join the casino?

Sure. If the entire list of accepted methods is not explicitly displayed on the homepage, at least the most popular methods’ logos would be, usually at the bottom of the homepage.

10. Could I claim bonuses at these international online casinos?

Yes! All bonuses available across international online casinos are at all players’ disposal, regardless of their country of residency. Unless the offer is explicitly restricted for certain players, you can claim any bonus that you want.