Gambling Laws in Azerbaijan

Gambling in Azerbaijan is considered to be only partially legal. Within the Azerbaijani gambling laws, the Presidential Decree from 2001 and its provisions, further consolidated in the Law on Lotteries and point 525 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Azerbaijan, are considered to be the main regulatory acts of all gambling activities in the country. Under the current Azerbaijani gambling legislation, casino games, as well as poker, are considered to be illegal, while lotto games, bingo, and sports betting have legal status in the country. As there is no specific mention of online gambling, it is a gray area in Azerbaijan. However, as there are no licensed online casinos, it is likely that these games are forbidden.  The regulatory body of the land-based and online gambling activities in the country is the Ministry of Economic Development. The same authority is also the founder of the national lottery which exhibits monopoly over the legal gambling games in Azerbaijan. According to Azerbaijani gambling laws, minors under 18 years of age are prohibited to participate in gambling activities.    

Is Online Gambling Legal in Azerbaijan? According to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Azerbaijan, only certain forms of gambling are considered to be legal in Azerbaijan, including the lottery, bingo, and sports betting, while casino games and poker are not legal. However, these rules are not specifically applied to online gambling, which is why it is still a gray area.

Online Casinos in Azerbaijan 

As of August 2019, there are no online casino sites in Azerbaijan. Casinos used to be all around the country, but these games became prohibited in 1998. As a result, the only option players have is to access offshore platforms. In fact, some, such as 22BET Casino, even target Azerbaijanis, by offering the webpage in their native language. 

Online Poker in Azerbaijan 

Online poker sites in Azerbaijan are also not legal. Although there are no specific Azerbaijani poker laws, the general prohibition on casino games in the country holds for this game too. In this way, the best option for players is to access offshore websites that offer large poker rooms. 

Online Lottery in Azerbaijan 

Lotteries remain one of the few legal gambling sectors in Azerbaijan. Azerlottery is the state-licensed provider for all sorts of lotto games in the country including the online lotto sites in Azerbaijan. The origin of Azerlottery dates back to 2001 when it was founded by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Since then, the lottery made an astonishing development in every respect, part of which is the launching of a wide variety of online lotto games on the market. 

Online Bingo in Azerbaijan

Although there are no specific Azerbaijan bingo laws, the online legal status of this gambling game is derived from the legal status of the lottery games. Consequently, online bingo is considered to be legal in Azerbaijan. Azerlottery is also the main provider of online bingo sites in Azerbaijan and holds a monopoly. But players can also access offshore platforms that usually offer a better selection of bingo games and more opportunities. 

Online Sports Betting in Azerbaijan

Together with the lotto and bingo games, sports betting comprises the totality of the legal gaming offer in Azerbaijan. Since 2011 that the sports betting provider Topaz has been authorized to offer sports betting games in the country, including online sportsbook sites in Azerbaijan. However, due to the monopoly, bettors often use offshore platforms that offer more sports and higher odds.

Online DFS in Azerbaijan

Online DFS sites in Azerbaijan are not legally regulated. There is an ongoing debate on the status of this type of game, but considering the legality of online sports betting in the country, it is very probable that Daily Fantasy Sports would soon become legal in Azerbaijan.