Gambling Age Limits in the EU: Minimum Betting Ages by Country and Product Type
A comprehensive reference guide to legal gambling ages across all 27 European Union member states, examining how minimum age requirements vary by country, gambling product type, and whether the activity is land-based or online. This guide is designed for players verifying legal requirements before travel, operators ensuring compliance, and researchers analyzing youth protection frameworks.
Key Points
- No EU-wide standard: Gambling age limits are determined by each member state individually, not by EU-level legislation
- 18 is most common: The majority of EU countries set 18 as the minimum gambling age across all product types
- Higher ages for casinos: Some countries (Greece, Lithuania, Estonia, Portugal) require age 21+ for casino entry
- Product-specific rules: Lottery age limits may differ from casino/sports betting minimums in certain jurisdictions
- Strict verification required: All licensed EU operators must implement robust age verification and KYC procedures
Introduction: Age Regulation in EU Gambling
Protecting minors from gambling harm represents a core principle of gambling regulation in every EU member state. Unlike some areas of consumer protection where the EU sets minimum standards, gambling age limits remain entirely within national competence. This means the legal age to gamble varies depending on which member state's rules apply — typically determined by where the gambling operator is licensed or, for land-based venues, where the establishment is physically located.
The European Commission has acknowledged gambling as an area requiring youth protection measures, but has not proposed harmonized age limits. Instead, EU-level efforts focus on ensuring member states maintain effective enforcement of their chosen age requirements through licensing conditions and regulatory oversight.
For players, understanding age limits is essential before gambling in different EU countries, particularly when travelling or accessing online platforms licensed in other jurisdictions. For operators, compliance with age verification requirements is typically a licensing condition with serious consequences for breaches, including potential license revocation and substantial fines.
Country-by-Country Gambling Age Limits
The following section provides minimum gambling age requirements for each EU member state. Where different products have different age limits, these are specified. Ages apply to both participation and entry to gambling premises unless otherwise noted.
Austria
Austria sets the minimum gambling age at 18 years for all gambling activities. This applies to casinos (operated by Casinos Austria under the federal licensing regime), sports betting, online gambling, and lottery products. The Austrian Ministry of Finance oversees gambling regulation, with casino entry requiring ID verification at the door.
Belgium
Belgium requires a minimum age of 21 years for casino entry, while other gambling forms (sports betting, online gambling, gaming halls) require 18 years. The Belgian Gaming Commission enforces these requirements through its EPIS (Excluded Persons Information System), which includes a database excluding minors from gambling venues.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria sets 18 years as the minimum gambling age for all products, including online gambling, casinos, sports betting, and lottery. The State Commission on Gambling supervises compliance.
Croatia
Croatia requires players to be 18 years or older for all gambling activities. This includes casinos, betting shops, slot halls, and online gambling. The Ministry of Finance regulates the sector.
Cyprus
Cyprus sets the gambling age at 18 years for casinos and betting, though the sole integrated casino resort (City of Dreams Mediterranean) implements this alongside additional responsible gambling measures. Online gambling licensed in Cyprus also requires players to be 18+. The National Betting Authority regulates betting, while casino licensing falls under separate legislation.
Czechia (Czech Republic)
Czechia requires a minimum age of 18 years for all gambling products including casinos, lottery, betting, and online gambling. The Ministry of Finance oversees regulation under the 2017 Gambling Act.
Denmark
Denmark sets 18 years as the minimum gambling age for all regulated products. The Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) enforces age verification requirements. Notably, Denmark's licensing system requires operators to verify age before allowing any gambling activity, with no provisional registration permitted for unverified players.
Estonia
Estonia applies different age limits by product type. Casino entry requires a minimum age of 21 years, while other gambling forms (online gambling, sports betting, lottery) require 18 years. The Tax and Customs Board regulates gambling, and Estonia's self-exclusion register is interconnected with age verification systems.
Finland
Finland requires players to be 18 years or older for all gambling. The state-owned monopoly operator Veikkaus operates lottery, betting, and slot machines, with casinos (Casino Helsinki, Casino Tampere) also requiring age 18. The Finnish approach emphasizes mandatory identification for all gambling, making anonymous participation impossible.
France
France sets 18 years as the minimum gambling age for casinos, online gambling, and sports betting. For lottery products operated by Française des Jeux (FdJ), the age limit is also 18. The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) supervises online gambling and sports betting, while casinos fall under Interior Ministry oversight. See our France country guide for detailed regulatory information.
Germany
Germany requires a minimum age of 18 years for all gambling products under the Interstate Treaty on Gambling (Glücksspielstaatsvertrag). This applies to online slots, sports betting, poker, lottery, and land-based casinos. The Joint Gambling Authority of the Länder (GGL) oversees online gambling licensing with strict age verification requirements. See our Germany country guide for comprehensive analysis.
Greece
Greece applies 21 years as the minimum age for casino entry, one of the highest in the EU. For other gambling products including online gambling, sports betting, and lottery (OPAP), the minimum age is 18 years. The Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) regulates all gambling sectors and maintains strict casino entry requirements.
Hungary
Hungary sets 18 years as the minimum gambling age for all activities. The state lottery (Szerencsejáték Zrt.) and sports betting market apply this uniformly. Land-based casinos require ID verification at entry.
Ireland
Ireland requires a minimum age of 18 years for most gambling. However, the National Lottery permits participation from age 16 for certain lottery products (though this is under review). Betting shops and casinos require age 18. Ireland is in the process of establishing a dedicated gambling regulator which will likely review age requirements.
Italy
Italy sets 18 years as the minimum gambling age for all products. The Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) requires operators to verify player age before allowing gambling. Italy's approach includes specific advertising restrictions protecting minors. See our Italy country guide for more details.
Latvia
Latvia requires players to be 18 years or older for all gambling activities. The Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection enforces age requirements. Online operators must verify age during registration.
Lithuania
Lithuania applies 21 years as the minimum age for casino entry, while other gambling forms (betting, online gambling, lottery) require 18 years. The Gaming Control Authority supervises the sector. Lithuania's PASLAS advertising restrictions also aim to protect younger demographics.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg sets 18 years as the minimum gambling age. The country has one casino (Casino 2000) and limited online gambling options. The Ministry of Justice oversees gambling regulation.
Malta
Malta requires a minimum age of 18 years for all gambling products. As a major hub for online gambling licensing, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) requires all operators to implement robust age verification. The MGA publishes detailed guidance on player verification requirements.
Netherlands
The Netherlands sets 18 years as the minimum gambling age for all products. Since the regulated online market opened in 2021, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has enforced strict age verification through CRUKS (the centralized exclusion register) and ID verification requirements. See our Netherlands country guide for comprehensive information.
Poland
Poland requires a minimum age of 18 years for gambling. The totalizator (state lottery) and licensed betting operators must verify age. Online casino gambling remains limited to the state-owned operator.
Portugal
Portugal's casino age requirements vary. Foreign nationals may enter casinos at 18 years, while Portuguese citizens and residents must be 21 years or older. For online gambling and betting, the minimum age is 18 years. The Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ) regulates online gambling.
Romania
Romania sets 18 years as the minimum gambling age for all products including online gambling, casinos, and betting. The National Gambling Office (ONJN) oversees regulation.
Slovakia
Slovakia requires players to be 18 years or older for all gambling activities. The Office for the Regulation of Gambling supervises the sector.
Slovenia
Slovenia sets 18 years as the minimum gambling age. Casinos and online gambling operators must verify age. The Ministry of Finance regulates gambling.
Spain
Spain requires a minimum age of 18 years for all gambling products regulated at the national level. However, some autonomous communities regulate certain gambling forms, and the minimum age is consistently 18 across regions. The Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) supervises online gambling nationally. See our Spain country guide for detailed information.
Sweden
Sweden sets 18 years as the minimum gambling age for all products. The Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen) requires strict age verification. Sweden's self-exclusion system (Spelpaus) is linked to age verification databases.
Age Limits by Product Type
While most EU countries apply uniform age limits across all gambling products, some jurisdictions differentiate based on the type of gambling activity. Understanding these distinctions is essential for compliance.
Casino Entry Age
Casino entry typically faces the strictest age requirements in jurisdictions that differentiate by product:
- 21 years: Belgium (casinos only), Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Portugal (nationals/residents)
- 18 years: All other EU member states
The higher casino age in some countries reflects historical concerns about the intensity of casino gambling compared to other forms. Land-based casinos across the EU universally require ID verification at entry.
Sports Betting Age
Sports betting age limits are uniformly set at 18 years across all EU member states. This applies to both land-based betting shops and online sports betting platforms. The in-play and live betting requirements regarding age are identical to pre-match betting.
Online Gambling Age
Online gambling age limits mirror the general gambling age in each jurisdiction — typically 18 years. However, verification is more complex for online channels, requiring operators to implement electronic verification systems. The upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet is expected to standardize cross-border age verification for online services including gambling.
Lottery Age
Lottery products occasionally have different (sometimes lower) age limits:
- 16 years: Ireland (National Lottery, under review)
- 18 years: All other EU member states for standard lottery products
The trend across the EU is toward uniform 18+ requirements for all gambling including lottery, reflecting research on gambling-related harm affecting younger demographics.
Age Verification Requirements for Operators
Compliance with age limits requires robust verification systems. EU gambling regulators mandate different approaches for online and land-based operations.
Online Age Verification
Online operators must verify player age during the registration process. Common methods include:
- Document verification: Upload and verification of government-issued ID (passport, national ID card, driving license)
- Electronic verification: Cross-referencing provided details against credit reference agencies, government databases, or electoral rolls
- Video identification: Live video calls where agents verify documents and match faces to photos
- Bank verification: Using bank account ownership as proxy verification (account holder must be 18+ to open accounts)
Many jurisdictions require verification before any gambling activity, not just before withdrawals. Germany's GGL, for example, mandates verification before deposit and play. For detailed requirements, see our Age Verification and KYC guide.
Land-Based Verification
Land-based venues implement age verification through:
- Door checks: ID verification at casino or venue entry
- Point-of-sale checks: ID requests when purchasing lottery tickets or placing bets (for younger-appearing customers)
- Registered customer programs: Some venues require registration before gambling, enabling systematic age verification
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) publishes industry guidance on age verification best practices, emphasizing technology-assisted solutions for online channels.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Operators failing to prevent underage gambling face serious consequences:
- Financial penalties: Significant fines, often calculated as percentages of revenue or fixed amounts per violation
- License conditions: Additional requirements, enhanced reporting, or supervision
- License suspension or revocation: Serious or repeated failures can result in loss of operating license
- Criminal liability: In some jurisdictions, individuals may face criminal prosecution for facilitating underage gambling
The enforcement trends across EU regulators show increasing penalties for age verification failures as youth protection gains regulatory priority.
Cross-Border Considerations
When players access gambling services across borders, determining applicable age requirements can be complex.
Which Age Limit Applies?
For online gambling, the applicable age limit is typically that of the licensing jurisdiction, not the player's location. However, if an operator targets a specific market (through localized marketing, language, or payment methods), both the licensing jurisdiction's rules and any requirements from the targeted market may apply.
For land-based gambling, the age limit of the country where the venue is located applies universally, regardless of the player's nationality or residence.
Travel Considerations
Players travelling within the EU should note:
- Being of legal gambling age in one's home country does not guarantee eligibility elsewhere
- Casino entry ages of 21 in Greece, Lithuania, Estonia, and Belgium (and 21 for Portuguese nationals in Portugal) may affect younger adult travellers
- ID requirements vary — some venues accept any EU ID, others require passport or national ID specifically
Our Cross-Border Online Gambling guide provides additional information on jurisdictional considerations.
Future Developments
EU Digital Identity Wallet
The forthcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI), part of the eIDAS 2.0 framework, will enable standardized age verification across the EU. Gambling operators will be able to verify player age through a trusted EU-wide system, simplifying compliance for cross-border services while enhancing reliability of age checks.
Harmonization Discussions
While no formal proposals exist for EU-wide gambling age harmonization, periodic discussions occur within industry and regulatory forums. The general consensus favors maintaining 18 as the minimum across all products, reflecting both the prevailing standard and concerns about gambling harm affecting younger adults.
Emerging Gambling Forms
Age limits for emerging gambling forms such as loot boxes and skin gambling remain contested. Where these activities are classified as gambling, standard age limits apply. However, classification varies across member states, creating inconsistencies in youth protection for gambling-like mechanics in video games.
Important Disclaimer
This guide provides general information about gambling age limits in the EU and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Age requirements may change, and specific circumstances may affect how rules apply. Operators should verify current requirements with relevant regulatory authorities. Players should confirm age requirements before gambling in any jurisdiction.
If gambling is causing problems for you or someone you know, help is available. Contact national problem gambling support services or visit Gambling Therapy for confidential support.