Legal Gambling in Belarus: What’s Allowed, What’s Not, and What’s Coming

Belarus has moved beyond vague toleration toward a structured, regulated gambling market. Since 2018-2019, both land-based and online gambling have been legalized under strict state supervision. The laws define what’s allowed, who may run gambling businesses, and how players are protected. If you’re curious about how Belarus got here, what’s legal now, and what might change next, this article walks through the essentials.

Regulatory Framework

Belarus legalized online gambling with Presidential Decree No. 305, adopted in August 2018 and effective starting April 1, 2019. This decree establishes the rules for virtual casinos and other internet-based gambling operations. According to the Stranaby website, these regulations marked a turning point by officially opening the market for licensed online operators while keeping the state firmly in control. 

The Ministry of Taxes and Duties (or Ministry of Taxes and the State Revenue Service) is the key regulator: issuing licenses, supervising compliance, certifying equipment, monitoring operator behavior. The Presidential Issued Decree No. 226, from June 6, 2025, further refines the rules — especially for online operators — tightening controls on account usage, payment flows, and foreign involvement.

Types of Legal Gambling

Land-based gambling is firmly legal: casinos, slot halls, betting shops, lotteries are all permitted under license. Only entities registered in Belarus may operate them. Requirements include, among others, a locally registered management, certified equipment, and compliance with state-defined technical and safety standards.

Online gambling is also legal, but under stricter oversight. Virtual gambling establishments must obtain a license, meet identity verification standards, ensure fairness via certified systems, and comply with local domain and regulatory requirements. Sites must be registered, licensed, and operate using Belarus-based structures or meet the law’s criteria.

Licensing Requirements & Compliance

To get a gambling license in Belarus (whether land-based or online), applicants must fulfill several non-negotiable criteria. Among them:

• The operator must be a legal entity registered in Belarus.

• Management must have experience (typically at least three years) in gambling or related business. The CEO’s main place of employment usually must be in the licensed business.

• Financial guarantees: deposit or security to ensure funds for payouts, taxes, etc. For virtual casinos, large minimum deposits are required.

  

Operators must also ensure:

• Equipment is certified in Belarus.

• Random Number Generators (RNG) or other technical standards meet the law.

• Strict identity verification for players, mostly to prevent underage gambling and to ensure compliance with AML (Anti-Money Laundering) laws.

Player Protections and Restrictions

Belarusian law does not leave players entirely on their own. Key protections and restrictions include:

• Age limit: Only persons of legal age (usually 21) may participate. Underage gambling is prohibited.

• Self-exclusion / voluntary restrictions: A person may file a written request to be restricted from gambling (land-based or virtual) for a period from 6 months up to 3 years. Once submitted, such a request is generally irreversible for that term.

• Limit of one account: New rules prohibit players from maintaining more than one gambling account, and from participating via a third party. 

  

Additionally, restrictions on advertising, on foreign operators, and on financial flows are tightening. Banks are instructed to block payments to unlicensed foreign gambling sites; cryptocurrency payments are heavily regulated and often require a local, licensed intermediary.

Recent Changes & Future Trends

In mid-2025, Belarus introduced Uказ № 226, delivering sharper controls over online gambling. Among the changes:

• Automatic prohibition for players to hold more than one account, and no participation by proxy (i.e. third parties placing bets on someone else’s behalf).

  

• Stronger restrictions on financial flows: banks and financial institutions are no longer allowed to make payments to foreign gambling operators. This aims to keep revenue within Belarus and reduce illegal operator access.

• Adjustments to technical equipment regulation: machines older than 10 years may be used only if they comply with approved models.

Looking ahead, expect further tightening: stricter oversight on cryptocurrencies in gambling, more rigorous auditing of financial operations, possibly harsher penalties for unlicensed operators and for violations.

Practical Implications for Players and Operators

If you're an operator, you must comply fully with licensing rules, financial guarantees, technical standards, and local ownership/management requirements. Foreign operators face barriers: local registration, local management, strict supervision.

For players, legal gambling means safer payout guarantees, regulated fair play, and recourse via law in case of disputes — but also increased monitoring and rules you can’t circumvent (e.g. you can’t have multiple accounts). Be ready to provide identity documents, follow bank rules, and expect that foreign sites (if unlicensed) may be blocked.

Also, for both sides, staying current is essential: Belarus is actively updating its laws, often via presidential decrees and government regulations. A source such as Stranaby may help with keeping track of these rules.