Online casinos accepting players from Cuba

When thinking about gambling at its finest, we immediately think about Las Vegas, Macau and Reno. These are the three most popular gambling destinations in the world, followed by several European gambling hubs like Monaco.

But did you know that once, Cuba was considered the gambling hub, the Las Vegas of the Caribbean? During the 1940s and 1950s, this country definitely lived the golden age of gambling, especially Havana, its capital. There were about a dozen of big, luxurious casinos and more than 50 smaller gambling establishments people could enjoy gambling in. Cockfighting arenas, gentlemen’s clubs and racing tracks were all over the country, available to both locals and tourists.

Cuba was the country…

… where gambling was legal at the time, with proper casino licenses handed to those operators willing to invest in tourism, building hotel resorts with casinos. With that, Havana was a favourite among tourists, especially those from the US, looking to travel in exotic places and have fun playing at casinos.

However, when Fidel Castro…

… came to power, things changed drastically. Due to the fact that the country was so corrupt, gangsters like Meyer Lansky and the American mafia were tied to the casinos in Cuba. They were the ones who brought the big spenders from Reno and Las Vegas, and these high rollers had a prominent presence in the already-corrupt high-society of the country’s pre-revolutionary era. The locals were more into jai alai and cockfighting.

Naturally…

… when Castro overthrew Fulgencio Batista in 1959, he banned all forms of gambling. The ban was implemented with the Ley 86 1959. This reform of the society involved the demolition of casinos along with slot machines. But it also involved fines and prison time to all those operating or organizing illegal gambling, as well as to all those who were involved in illegal gambling.

Even though experts say…

… that gambling might return to Cuba, so far it was with no luck. There were some efforts in 2014 to bring casinos back in the country, further strengthened in 2015 when the country restored diplomatic relations with the US, but nothing has changed so far. Sure, the presence of American tourists, which are once again free to visit the country and enjoyall of its beauties, the sunny days, exotic nights (and casinos), would greatly help the country restore its economy, but it looks like a long shot.

Casinos would have to be…

… be rebuilt, foreign investors would have to invest a lot to rebuild the casino industry, but it would still give Cuba no chance to rival the gambling hubs of today, that is the ones mentioned above, on a global level. Locally, rebuilding the gambling industry would mean a lot for the country, considering its cash-strapped population.

Best Online Casinos in Cuba

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Legal Online Gambling in Cuba

Even though not specifically regulated…

… with the Ley 86 1959 since the internet did not even exist back then, online gambling is also presumed as illegal in Cuba. Considering there’s a complete ban on gambling, meaning no land-based casino, bingo, poker, horseracing betting, lottery or sportsbetting is allowed, it is only logical to assume that online gambling is banned, as well.

While there are no reports of players…

… ever being prosecuted for gambling online, considering the country’s rough treatment for those who gamble online, Cuban online casino players are at great risk of getting a huge fine or even prison time. Another issue is the low internet penetration in the country, due to its poor economy. Despite these, however, some offshore operators are still accepting players from Cuba. Some online casinos are still welcoming players from the country, even though they are familiar with its complete gambling ban.

The thing is, however…

… poor internet access is not the only thing that may prevent Cuban online casino players from enjoying online gambling. There's also the fact that online gambling activities and websites are censored in Cuba, and many online casinos and sportsbetting sites are reported to be blocked. Add to that the fact that locals have no access to debit or credit cards issued by giants like MasterCard and VISA, and you can see why they won’t even dare to gamble online.

There are those players who…

… find their way around the law and the other obstacles, and somehow find access to international online casinos that accept players from the country, use alternative payment solutions, and still enjoy their favourite online casino games. If you’re one of them, here’s what you should know.

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Cuban Online Casinos

Do not expect to find casinos licensed in Cuba, if you want to join an online casino. Due to the complete ban on gambling, no regulatory body exists which would grant licenses for online operations. But if still interested in joining an online casino, despite the risks and obstacles, there are a few things you need to be aware of.

Online casinos that accept players from Cuba…

… can be legit ones or rogue ones, and you need to be able to recognize which is which, in order to enjoy seamless online gambling. A legit online casino would have a license to operate online by a well-reputed regulatory body. These include, but are not limited to, the Swedish regulator, the UK Gambling Commission, the MGA and the Gibraltar Gambling Commission. As long as you find a casino licensed by at least one of these watchdogs, you’re good to continue exploring it.

Another thing you should consider…

… is whether the casino complies with player protection rules, as imposed by the regulators, and whether it would keep any sensitive details you share about yourself with it. This means that you need to be certain the casino implements high-level security measures, responsible gambling tools, alternate dispute resolution service and a seal of approval by a respected third-party auditor. Speaking of auditors, you should look for casinos approved by the likes of eCOGRA, GLI or iTechLabs. They guarantee that the games at the casino are completely fair and random, running on an approved Random Number Generator.

Games at Cuban Online Casinos

After you ensure that the games at the casino you’re eyeing are RNG-based and approved by a respected auditor, you need to explore them all and check whether you have enough choice of games to play. Since you have no access to land-based casino games in your country, you might be satisfied with any type of games, but it’s good to have a wide choice of titles to choose from.

The first thing you need to check…

… to ensure that you’ll get a world-class online gambling time is the list of software developers that provide the games at the casino. If you see that leading developers like Evolution, Microgaming, Playtech, Pragmatic Play and NetEnt are powering the casino, you’re good to go. While you should find many other variants and innovative fusions of two or more game types, the following are some of the games you should expect to find at a proper online casino:

Video poker;

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Mobile Betting

Pointing out once again…

… that online gambling is illegal in Cuba is probably unnecessary, because you know that already, however, it is important to be aware of it, especially if you’re intending to play online casino games via your mobile device. Sure, you can do so, considering mobile gambling is trending right now and all casinos and games are optimized for mobile play, but in your case, you better avoid it, especially if you’re out.

If you’re planning on playing mobile games…

... outside of your home, while walking the dog or in a restaurant, we would advise against it. That’s because you never know who can notice you doing it and who can report you to the authorities. If you still want to do it, make sure you do it when no one is watching, best at home.

Cuba Online Banking & Casino Payment Methods

As mentioned earlier…

… debit and credit cards are off-limits for Cuban players. But even if they weren’t, avoiding them would be the best option for you as a player from the country, if you don’t want to get caught gambling online. In fact, any payment method closely tied with and working with banks should be off the table for you.

Alternative payment solutions…

… are what you need to look for when you join an online casino because payments with them are not recorded on your card or bank statement. Using them, the info that you’re gambling across online casino sites would never reach the authorities. The following are some of the solutions you may use, but not restricted to:

Most of these are global eWallets and digital currencies, accepting users from all across the world, but just in case, before you decide on the one to use, make sure to check whether it is available in your country or not.

FAQ

1. Is it possible for Cuba to lift the ban on gambling any time soon?

As mentioned, the country has been making efforts to bring back gambling since 2014, but so far, there are no positive results. Stay tuned, and maybe things will change in the future.

2. Could I find an online casino that accepts Cuban peso?

You may find many online casinos that accept all applicable currencies, the peso included. However, to be certain that you can play with your currency, you would also need to check with the payment method you choose to use, to see whether the provider allows payments in pesos.

3. Are there many online casinos which support Spanish?

Sure! Most international online casinos support Spanish since that's one of the most widely-spoken languages across the world. You should have no issue finding one that does and accepts players from your country.

4. Do these casinos offer Spanish-speaking Customer Support?

Many online casinos offer Spanish-speaking Support service, especially those targeting players from Latin America. So, finding one would be a piece of cake.

5. Will I find many alternative solutions for deposits and withdrawals across international online casinos?

Sure. International online casinos are all about making players from any country feel comfortable on their site. To do that, they must offer them a wide selection of both traditional and alternative solutions, so you can rest assured that your options will be plenty.

6. Will I be able to check out the list of accepted methods before joining the casino?

Most casinos will allow you to check the list of accepted methods, but not all. Some would display the logos of the most used payment solutions on their homepage, and some would give you full access to the deposit and withdrawal list.

7. How can I be certain whether a casino accepts players from Cuba or not?

There are a few ways to do that. First, check the T&C section, the restricted countries info should be there. Then, check the FAQs section. If the answer is not there, simply try joining the casino. If it does not accept players from the country, you won’t be able to complete the sign-up procedure.

8. How old should I be to gain access to international online casinos?

This depends on the country where the casino is based. If in the US, for instance, the age limit would be 21. If in Europe, it would be 18 or older.

9. If I choose to play on my mobile device, will I be able to download a casino app?

The thing is, online casinos have optimized their sites for mobile play, so downloading an app would be unnecessary. If you really want to, you can find casinos that offer dedicated iOS and Android apps you can download.

10. Will I be able to claim bonuses at an online casino?

Sure! As long as you can join the casino, which means it does not restrict players from your country, you can do whatever you want there. You can claim any bonus you like, as long as it does not come with some limitations.