Costa Rica Gambling Websites
Costa Rica is one of the friendlier countries in the world for online sports betting operators, and it offers a good variety of betting options for residents, visitors, and even for those living in other countries. Although land-based sports betting is not yet legal in Costa Rica, the country is widely considered to be one of the most progressive in terms of online legal sports betting. A number of major international online sportsbooks operate out of Costa Rica and that number could only increase in 2021.
The most popular sports to bet on in Costa Rica are soccer, baseball, and American football. Costa Rican sportsbooks offer betting odds on numerous sports leagues and events, both in the country and all over the world. No matter what you wish to bet on, there’s a good chance you’ll find it at a Costa Rican sportsbook. This page will act as a comprehensive guide to legal sports betting in Costa Rica, from the laws governing sports betting to how Costa Rican sports betting revenue is applied, to the best sportsbooks to use for players in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Sports Betting Laws
Costa Rica is interesting in that land-based sports betting is fully illegal but its online sports betting laws are some of the most welcoming in the world. As a result, major online sportsbooks like Bovada and SportsBetting often base their operations in Costa Rica. It is also legal for players located in Costa Rica to bet online with sportsbooks based in other countries. Costa Rica’s stance on online sports betting is so firm that in 2012 Costa Rican courts overrode the U.S. government by refusing to investigate American bettors placing wagers with Bovada, citing national sovereignty. The brick-and-mortar sports betting omission is unfortunate, but overall Costa Rica has some of the most forgiving sports betting laws in the world.
- Best Costa Rica Gambling Sites for 2021. If you’re a resident of Costa Rica looking to gamble online, then you’ve come to the right spot. We’ve constructed this page to help you learn the full scoop about Costa Rican gambling sites in one convenient location. Below, you’ll locate everything you need to know about the top Costa Rican.
- The most accurate list of casinos in Costa Rica. Find addresses, read reviews and get the best offers on 34 casinos. By continuing to use the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies in order to provide you the best possible experience.
Facts About Casinos in Costa Rica – The legal gambling age in Costa Rica is 18 years, similar to most countries. – Costa Rica is one of the few countries to completely lack a gambling or gaming authoritative body or commission. Therefore, there is nothing like a gaming or gambling license or regulation in any part of Costa Rica. Costa Rica gambling law allows companies to have a gambling license and gambling sites under current online gambling laws. Due to a large number of gambling sites basing themselves in Costa Rica, an internet gaming license was introduced. Costa Rica is one of the best places to set up online casino and online gambling corporations.
Costa Rica has almost zero regulations for sites licensed in the country. This makes it a major destination for operators interested in pursuing “off limits” markets such as the United States. Costa Rican betting sites are free to accept customers from every country in the world except one: Costa Rica.
Where To Bet On The Super Bowl In Costa Rico
With online sportsbooks readily available to players anywhere in Costa Rico, betting on the Super Bowl won’t be an issue. The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events every year and online sportsbooks offer betting lines all year for the Big Game. It is extremely simple to log onto a book like Bovada and put down the best Super Bowl bet in Costa Rico. Whether you’re betting the favorite team to win the SB or even just exploring the betting line and player props for the Super Bowl, online sportsbooks allow you to make it happen, with live betting options as well.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal In Costa Rica?
Yes, online sports betting is fully legal. Players both from Costa Rica and from all over the world can legally bet on sports using Costa Rican sportsbooks. Costa Rica residents can also legally bet online with sportsbooks based in other countries as well. Popular betting options for online sports betting include live, in-play wagering, prop bets, money lines, and more. Even if you live outside Costa Rica, particularly in the U.S., betting with a Costa Rican sportsbook is not a prosecutable crime. The online sports betting industry in the country is thriving and only looks to be primed for more growth in the coming years.
Costa Rica Sports Betting Markets
Costa Rica is a small country, and it has only three cities with more than 50,000 residents:
- San José
- Puerto Limón
- San Francisco
These three cities account for 450,000 of Costa Rica’s nearly 5 million people, and are the primary markets for online sports betting. In terms of actual sports leagues that Costa Ricans might choose to bet on, the most popular league in the country is Liga FPD, the top division of Costa Rican (* soccer https://www.legalsportsbetting.com/soccer/ *). Costa Rica is still riding the high of its eight-place finish at the 2014 World Cup, and that has bolstered the popularity of the sport throughout the country. The country’s three top clubs are Deportivo Saprissa, Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, and Club Sport Herediano, which have accounted for a combined 92 of Liga FPD’s 111 total championships. The two biggest provinces for sports betting by far are San José and Alajuela.
Where Costa Rica Sports Betting Revenue Goes
Another big incentive for sports betting operators in Costa Rica is that the country only taxes sports betting revenues at a rate of two percent—far below the rate of similar taxes in other countries and municipalities. This money goes toward a lump sum for the federal government of Costa Rica, where it is applied toward various budgetary needs. With few gamblers in the country and even fewer wealthy gamblers, revenues are predictably low for domestic sports betting. They are heavily supplemented, however, by gambling activity from players in other countries betting online with sportsbooks based in Costa Rica.
Legal Costa Rica Betting Sites
The most popular legal Costa Rica betting sites are legal throughout the world. They accept players from Costa Rica, from other Central American countries, and even from the United States. There are numerous legal betting sites in Costa Rica, but the best ones offer comprehensive 24/7 customer support, a wide selection of betting options, big deposit bonuses, and top-notch security for personal and financial data. Whether you are betting on a desktop computer or a mobile device, legal betting is always only a few clicks away in Costa Rica.
Bovada – All US States Accepted – Except NV, NJ, MD, And DE
Sometimes players try to decide which is the better online sportsbooks to sign up for. There is no doubt that Bovada is to of the charts and has everything that all players need when it comes to placing wagers on their favorite teams and players. Coming with the prop bets that are offered come the bonuses that would help players get in other betting opportunities. This is where Bovada takes off as there is always new bonuses and promotions that will pop up all the time. So making sure you are 18 and older and signing up for one of the better online sportsbooks will not be a problem at all.
Why are so many sportsbooks based in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica offers very forgiving laws and favorable conditions for online sports betting operators. Sites like Bovada can base their operations in Costa Rica while still offering legal sports betting to bettors in dozens of other countries. In general, Central America and the Caribbean are a hotbed for the sports betting industry.
How does currency exchange work with Costa Rican sportsbooks?
The easiest way to manage money with Costa Rican sportsbooks is to use cryptocurrency, which is valid in every country and does not require currency exchange. Most such sportsbooks accept major global currencies like dollars and euros, but for more niche currencies, look at e-wallet services that come with built-in exchange software.
Can you bet on sports in every province in Costa Rica?
Online sports betting is legal in all seven provinces of Costa Rica. Brick-and-mortar sports betting isn’t legal in any of them, but with the wide array of online sports betting options available throughout the country, that shouldn’t be a big concern. Mobile sports betting is likewise legal in all seven provinces.
Are tourists allowed to bet in Costa Rica?
All bettors who are at least 18 years old can legally bet online in Costa Rica. Additionally, 18-year-old bettors in many other countries can also legally bet with Costa Rican sportsbooks. Whether you are living in the country full-time or simply visiting for a few days or weeks, as long as you are on Costa Rican soil, Costa Rican law applies.
Why doesn’t Costa Rica have casino sports betting?
Historically, gambling has been illegal in Costa Rica, and that only began to change recently as the country adopted a laxer attitude toward online gambling. Laws are slowly changing, so brick-and-mortar sports betting could still be on the horizon, especially as Costa Rica looks for new ways to monetize the gambling industry.
| Costa Rica Info | |
| Status: | Legal and Licensed |
| Online: | Yes |
| Min Age: | 18+ |
| Restrictions: | None |
| Popular Sports: | Soccer |
Find Your Country:
Rugged. Rainforested. Culturally-instituted. Stably-governed. Those are four words that perfectly describe the Central American country officially known as the Republic of Costa Rica. With about five million people, Costa Rica is a hotspot for tourists — mainly for its Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, volcanoes, beaches, and biodiversity.
Accordingly, casinos and gambling facilities in Costa Rica are greatly lucrative, and they carry a great deal of intrigue that makes them one of the best in the whole continent of Central America.
List of Casinos in Costa Rica
Below is a list of all casinos currently operating in the regions of Costa Rica.
Amon Plaza Clarion Hotel – Central Valley
Barceló Amapola & Jazz Casino
Barceló Playa Langosta Resort & Casino
Barceló Playa Tambor Resort & Casino
Barceló San José Palacio Spa & Casino
Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino
Boutique Casino at Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort
Caribbean Village Fiesta Resort & Casino
Casino Costa Rica at Quality Hotel Centro Colón
Casino del Sur
Casino Europa at Radisson Hotel
Casino Tropical at Hotel Costa Rica Morazan
Club Colonial Casino Bar & Restaurant
Coco Beach Hotel & Casino
Concorde Casino at Best Western Irazu
Croc’s Resort & Casino
Crocodile Bay Resort
Crowne Plaza Corobici San Jose Hotel & Casino
Divisamar Hotel & Casino
DoubleTree Cariari San Jose Hotel and Casino
Fiesta Casino Alajuela
Fiesta Casino Holiday Inn Express
Fiesta Casino Heredia
Fiesta Casino Presidente
Fiesta Casino Herradura
Fiesta Casino Yadran
Flamingo Beach Resort, Spa & Casino
Flamingo Marina Resort
Flor De Itabo Hotel & Casino
Grand Casino Escazú at Sheraton Hotel
Horseshoe Casino
Hotel & Casino Del Rey
Hotel Cocal & Casino
Hotel Estela De Fuego
Hotel Layla Resort Casino
Hotel Sierra Resort & Casino
Jazz Casino at Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort
Las Olas Casino at Hotel Riu Guanacaste
Kamuk Casino at Best Western Quepos
Lucky’s Casino Colón
Lucky’s Casino Guapiles
Lucky’s Casino Perez Zeledon
Lucky’s Casino San Carlos
Lucky’s Casino Tournon
Luigi’s Hotel, Restaurant and Casino
Mona Lisa Hotel & Casino
Palma Real Hotel & Casino
Premier Fiesta Resort & Spa
Rio Tranquilo Casino
Riu Guanacaste Hotel and Casino
Royal Dutch Hotel & Casino Europa
Stellaris Casino at Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort
Talamanca Hotel
Taormina Hotel & Casino
White House Hotel Restaurant Casino and Spa
History of Casinos in Costa Rica
The history of gambling, gaming and casinos in Costa Rica is very short — yet overwhelming. Costa Rica gained her independence from Spain on September 15, 1821, after Spain’s ultimate defeat in the Mexican War of Independence.
For some years, the country was still immature and could not move an inch towards her own future. Costa Rica proclaimed sovereignty from a collective Central America in 1838.
Despite Costa Rica’s initial instability, gambling has been generating a lot of revenue and buzz right from the beginning. The United States Senate introduced the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act in 1999. Although it was not passed, the bill brought a great deal of fear to gambling operators around the world. That was when most businessmen decided to move their operations to Costa Rica, mainly because Costa Rica lacked (and still lack) any tangible gambling commission or authoritative body.
When they rushed to the Central American country, they were welcomed by a simple jurisdiction and a lot of potential customers at their fingertips. That was how Costa Rica became a gambling destination, only smaller than Las Vegas.
In 2008, Costa Rica passed a decree to make casinos run from 6 PM and 2 AM, not the initial 24 hours. Also, casinos were required to run their businesses far away from the street, and stop giving customers free alcoholic drinks. Ultimately, they were required to operate in hotels with 59 or lesser rooms.
Current Gambling Climate
Generally, casinos and most forms of gambling facilities and games are legal throughout the length and breadth of Costa Rica. Although Costa Rica lacks any defined gaming or gambling commission or authoritative body, visitors of Costa Rica participate in a wide range of gambling and gaming activities. For residents, however, it is a whole different story.
Some unethical casinos and gambling facilities have taken advantage of this deterioration in the past, and more are expected anytime soon. Most of them pretend to be licensed by an authoritative body known as Costa Rica Gaming Commission, which does not exist in actual fact.
Furthermore, the number of casinos and gambling institutions currently operating in Costa Rica is difficult to perfectly pin down — but with some research, the total number is realized as 53, with the majority in San José, the capital of Costa Rica.
Casinos in Costa Rica by Area
As mentioned earlier, casinos and other gambling institutions are substantially located in the capital state, San José. San José has 168+ table games and 1,136+ gaming machines. However, gambling investors have 53 gambling venues in 26 different Costa Rican cities.
While San José offers 19 different gambling institutions, most other cities offer nothing more than one venue. Additionally, Tamarindo, Sardinal, Quepos, Puntarenas, Playas del Coco, Flamingo Beach, and Escazu all have more than one casino.
Fiesta Casino – Alajuela, located in Alajuela, Río Segundo, is the largest casino in the whole of Costa Rica with various games and machines.
Types of Casinos in Costa Rica
Most gambling activities and facilities are legal in Costa Rica. The most popular facilities include casinos, betting call centres, and gaming parlours. There is a game called Rummy in Costa Rica, which is basically the same as blackjack.
Further, online gambling is legal in Costa Rica but indigenes are forbidden to participate. However, indigenes are not prosecuted for placing wagers on foreign online gambling sites.
Similar to online gambling, poker, sports betting and bingo are legal but illegal for indigenes. Lottery, concurrently, is different and particularly the most popular form of gambling in Costa Rica. Punto Max is a national lottery that operates completely offline. Online lottery shares the same plight with online poker, sports betting, and bingo.
Finally, table games, slot machines and other casino activities are readily available in a typical Costa Rican casino. It is smart to note that most games in Costa Rica have been renamed and with respective twists. For example, Caribbean stud poker and blackjack are almost the same as Tute and Rummy, respectively.
Facts About Casinos in Costa Rica
– The legal gambling age in Costa Rica is 18 years, similar to most countries.
– Costa Rica is one of the few countries to completely lack a gambling or gaming authoritative body or commission. Therefore, there is nothing like a gaming or gambling license or regulation in any part of Costa Rica.
– To get licensed in Costa Rica, gambling operators buy business or data processing licenses. Each license is worth about $5,000, and can be renewed with the same amount yearly.
– The Costa Rican government is very unconcerned about the opening of gambling facilities as long as $5000 is paid for the license and annually. So, opening a gambling facility in Costa Rica is simply easy.
– Costa Rica has a defined tax system for gambling facilities, which states that casinos and gaming parlours must pay 10% of their net profits. Betting call centres, on the other hand, have to pay their tax according to the number of employees.
– Betting call centres with 50 or lesser employees have to pay ¢20.5 million (57 times a basic salary). Betting call centres with 51 to 99 employees have to pay ¢30.6 million (85 times a basic salary). Betting call centres with 100 or more employees have to pay ¢40.6 million (113 times a basic salary).
– In August 2010, Costa Rica declared they were increasing the tax from 10% to 15%. Accordingly, no press release has been released to follow that release.
– More than 3,000 employees were put at risk of losing their jobs when Costa Rica regulated casinos to run only from 6 PM to 2 AM. The rule made it illegal to offer gamblers free alcoholic beverages. Also, casinos must stay clear of the street and be absent in hotels with rooms up to 60. That rule became effective in 2008.
– In 2013, the Finance Ministry announced the development of a gaming control board. However, nothing is developed yet in 2017.
Costa Rica Gambling Websites All-inclusive
– There is a total number of 53 casinos in Costa Rica, with 19 in San José alone.
– Fiesta Casino – Alajuela is the biggest casino in Costa Rica, with 14+ table games and 300+ gaming machines.
– San José is the largest gambling city in Costa Rica, with 19 gambling institutions, 168+ table games and 1,136+ gaming machines.
– About 50% of electronic gambling businesses in the world is between Costa Rica and Aruba, and generates $14+ billion annually.
– Costa Rican indigenes are forbidden to participate in any form of online gambling (sports betting, bingo, poker and lottery).
Costa Rica Gambling Websites Real Money
– Games with a random outcome are forbidden in Costa Rica. As a result, gambling is a very confusing activity in Costa Rica. Some casinos classify blackjack as illegal while some happily offer it.