The legal status of gambling and casinos in El Salvador is quite controversial, and has been for many years. The first law regulating gambling in this Central American country was created back in 1882. This law imposed a ban on all forms of gambling.*
This law was reinforced in 2002, and all gambling houses were ordered to shut down. That there was even need for such a law makes it obvious that the ban on gambling was blatantly disregarded. Gambling is a popular pastime in El Salvador, and locals aren’t wont to give up their entertainment because of some pesky laws.
As a result of the Salvadorans’ display of public disobedience, casinos are currently tolerated. In accordance with the 2002 gambling regulation, they are only allowed to offer lottery products. However, table games and slot machines are also freely available.
Another source of confusion regarding gambling laws in El Salvador is the 1983 Municipal Code. This law gave municipalities to decide on such matters on their own authority. Many still claim that there are no laws explicitly directing them to order the closure of casinos. The Salvadoran government seems to have practically given up on trying to enforce a ban on gambling.**
Online gambling on the other hand has never been regulated in the country. While the government does not issue licences to online gambling operators, there are also no laws against this form of entertainment. As a result, locals are free to play on international online gambling sites.
*Source: Gambling in America: An Encyclopedia of History, Issues, and Society
**Source (Spanish): Las salas de juegos de azar de El Salvador continúan sin definir su situación (yogonet)
Online casinos accepting players from El Salvador
The following online gambling websites accept players from El Salvador
Black Lotus Casino
- Get 200% match bonus, up to $600. Use the code: WELCOME600
- +$30 bonus. Use code: WINBLACK
Bonuses for existing players:
- 32 Free Spins on Sweet Success Code: CHEER1
- 32 Free Spins on Nordic Wild Code: CHEER2
- 32 Free Spins on Cosmopolitan Code: CHEER3
- 32 Free Spins on 7 Chakras Code: CHEER4
- 32 Free Spins on Le Chocolatier Code: CHEER5
- 32 Free Spins on Fairy Dust Forest Code: CHEER6
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
- Playthrough requirement: 40-60x for match bonuses and usually 60x for free spins and other bonuses, depends on the bonus check the casino's web page for the specific, up to date, current playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Wagering limitation:
- 100% - Slots and Keno
- 50% - Roulette and Three Card Poker
- 25% - Baccarat
- 10% - Video Poker
- 5% - Blackjack, Craps
- 0% - Everything else
BGO
- 500 free spins
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: 65x
Wagering limitation:
- Slots: 100%
- Roulette: 25%
- All Blackjack Games: 25%
- 3 Card Brag: 50%
- Casino Hold'em: 25%
- Baccarat: 0%
- Everything else: 0%
Bet Online Casino and Sports Book
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits! Use the code BOLCASINO
- 100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin or DASH. No code required.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: • Slot Games (progressive jackpot slots excluded) 100% • Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy 20% • Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker 10% • Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps 5% • Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft 0%
Wagering limitation:
- Any action on Baccarat, Roulette and Craps will not count towards the wagering requirement.
Betsson Casino and Sports Book
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to €100
- 101 free spins on your first deposit
- €5,000 every week for one lucky active returning player (no wagering limitation, no playthrough requirement)
US players can not register. Betsson has over 1500 games, the most games of any casino. You can read the review of Betsson casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus: • 100%: Slots • 10%: All Roulette (except Live), Caribbean Stud & Casino Stud Poker Games • 10%: All Casino Hold’Em, Red Dog, Pai Gow, Poker Games, Oasis Poker & Texas Hold’Em Poker Games • 5%: All BlackJack (except Live BlackJack), Baccarat, Video Poker, Pontoon, Beat Me, Punto Banco Games
Wagering limitation:
- The bonus cannot be wagered on the following games: 1429 Uncharted Seas, Aliens, Big Bang, Blood Suckers, Castle builder, Castle Builder 2, Champion of the Track, Dead or Alive, Devil´s Delight, Eggomatic, Epic Gems, Eye of the Kraken, Kings of Chicago, Pearls of India, Robin Hood, Scrooge, Sea Hunter, Super Monopoly Money, The Wish Master, Tower Quest, Wild Gambler, Wizard Shop, Zombies.
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
Summary:
- Casino gambling in El Salvador
- Bingo in El Salvador
- Poker in El Salvador
- Sports betting in El Salvador
- Lottery in El Salvador
- Bitcoin gambling in El Salvador
Casino gambling in El Salvador
Online casino gambling in El Salvador: unregulated
The legal status of casino gambling in El Salvador is controversial. Most forms of gambling were prohibited in 1882 and the ban was reinforced in 2002. The new gambling law actually allowed the operation of casinos, but they were only to provide lottery games.
Regardless, there are currently several gambling establishments operating in El Salvador, many of them offering slot machines as well. There are two noteworthy casinos in the country with table games as well, the Monte Carlo Casino in Santa Ana and the Siesta in the capital, San Salvador.
Online casino gambling is not regulated in El Salvador. There are no locally-based online casino operators, but locals are free to play on foreign online casino sites, many of which are also available in Spanish.
The online casinos below accept players from El Salvador.
The following online casino websites accept players from El Salvador:
Black Lotus Casino
- Get 200% match bonus, up to $600. Use the code: WELCOME600
- +$30 bonus. Use code: WINBLACK
Bonuses for existing players:
- 32 Free Spins on Sweet Success Code: CHEER1
- 32 Free Spins on Nordic Wild Code: CHEER2
- 32 Free Spins on Cosmopolitan Code: CHEER3
- 32 Free Spins on 7 Chakras Code: CHEER4
- 32 Free Spins on Le Chocolatier Code: CHEER5
- 32 Free Spins on Fairy Dust Forest Code: CHEER6
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
- Playthrough requirement: 40-60x for match bonuses and usually 60x for free spins and other bonuses, depends on the bonus check the casino's web page for the specific, up to date, current playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Wagering limitation:
- 100% - Slots and Keno
- 50% - Roulette and Three Card Poker
- 25% - Baccarat
- 10% - Video Poker
- 5% - Blackjack, Craps
- 0% - Everything else
BGO
- 500 free spins
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: 65x
Wagering limitation:
- Slots: 100%
- Roulette: 25%
- All Blackjack Games: 25%
- 3 Card Brag: 50%
- Casino Hold'em: 25%
- Baccarat: 0%
- Everything else: 0%
Bet Online Casino and Sports Book
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits! Use the code BOLCASINO
- 100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin or DASH. No code required.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: • Slot Games (progressive jackpot slots excluded) 100% • Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy 20% • Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker 10% • Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps 5% • Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft 0%
Wagering limitation:
- Any action on Baccarat, Roulette and Craps will not count towards the wagering requirement.
Betsson Casino and Sports Book
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to €100
- 101 free spins on your first deposit
- €5,000 every week for one lucky active returning player (no wagering limitation, no playthrough requirement)
US players can not register. Betsson has over 1500 games, the most games of any casino. You can read the review of Betsson casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus: • 100%: Slots • 10%: All Roulette (except Live), Caribbean Stud & Casino Stud Poker Games • 10%: All Casino Hold’Em, Red Dog, Pai Gow, Poker Games, Oasis Poker & Texas Hold’Em Poker Games • 5%: All BlackJack (except Live BlackJack), Baccarat, Video Poker, Pontoon, Beat Me, Punto Banco Games
Wagering limitation:
- The bonus cannot be wagered on the following games: 1429 Uncharted Seas, Aliens, Big Bang, Blood Suckers, Castle builder, Castle Builder 2, Champion of the Track, Dead or Alive, Devil´s Delight, Eggomatic, Epic Gems, Eye of the Kraken, Kings of Chicago, Pearls of India, Robin Hood, Scrooge, Sea Hunter, Super Monopoly Money, The Wish Master, Tower Quest, Wild Gambler, Wizard Shop, Zombies.
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
Bingo in El Salvador
Online Bingo in El Salvador: unregulated
The regulation of bingo games in El Salvador is just as confusing as that of other forms of gambling. Bingo was not specifically outlawed by the 2002 gambling law, but may still be illegal under the 1882 ban. Whatever the case, the licences of several bingo halls were not renewed around the time of the approval of the new gambling law.
Since then, though, several new bingo halls have opened all around the country. The general consensus seems to be that mayors have the authority to give bingo halls permits in their own jurisdiction.
Online bingo is wholly unregulated in El Salvador. There are no licensed online bingo operators in the country, but there are also no laws against online gambling. As a result, locals are free to play on international online bingo sites.
The following bingo websites accept players from El Salvador:
BGO
- 500 free spins
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: 65x
Wagering limitation:
- Slots: 100%
- Roulette: 25%
- All Blackjack Games: 25%
- 3 Card Brag: 50%
- Casino Hold'em: 25%
- Baccarat: 0%
- Everything else: 0%
Poker in El Salvador
Online Poker in El Salvador: unregulated
As it is not specifically regulated in El Salvador, poker most likely falls into the category of gambling, despite the fact that poker is often considered a game of chance, not a game of luck. This means that the legal status of poker is as confusing as that of other forms of gambling. There is at least one casino, the Monte Carlo where live poker games are available.
Online poker is not regulated in El Salvador. There are no licensed online poker operators in the country, but there are also no laws against online gambling. As a result, locals are free to play on international online poker sites.
The following online poker sites accept players from El Salvador.
The following online casino websites have poker and accept players from El Salvador:
Bet Online Casino and Sports Book
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits! Use the code BOLCASINO
- 100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin or DASH. No code required.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: • Slot Games (progressive jackpot slots excluded) 100% • Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy 20% • Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker 10% • Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps 5% • Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft 0%
Wagering limitation:
- Any action on Baccarat, Roulette and Craps will not count towards the wagering requirement.
Betsson Casino and Sports Book
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to €100
- 101 free spins on your first deposit
- €5,000 every week for one lucky active returning player (no wagering limitation, no playthrough requirement)
US players can not register. Betsson has over 1500 games, the most games of any casino. You can read the review of Betsson casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus: • 100%: Slots • 10%: All Roulette (except Live), Caribbean Stud & Casino Stud Poker Games • 10%: All Casino Hold’Em, Red Dog, Pai Gow, Poker Games, Oasis Poker & Texas Hold’Em Poker Games • 5%: All BlackJack (except Live BlackJack), Baccarat, Video Poker, Pontoon, Beat Me, Punto Banco Games
Wagering limitation:
- The bonus cannot be wagered on the following games: 1429 Uncharted Seas, Aliens, Big Bang, Blood Suckers, Castle builder, Castle Builder 2, Champion of the Track, Dead or Alive, Devil´s Delight, Eggomatic, Epic Gems, Eye of the Kraken, Kings of Chicago, Pearls of India, Robin Hood, Scrooge, Sea Hunter, Super Monopoly Money, The Wish Master, Tower Quest, Wild Gambler, Wizard Shop, Zombies.
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
Sports betting in El Salvador
Online sports betting in El Salvador: unregulated
Sports betting is generally considered illegal in El Salvador. Currently neither of the two larger casinos offer sports betting, and there are no reports of other legal – or at least semi-legal – wagering options in the country either.
However, online sports betting is not regulated in El Salvador. While there are no licensed online sports betting operators in the country, there are also no laws against online gambling. As a result, locals are free to wager on international online sports betting sites.
The online sportsbooks below accept registrations from the Bahamas.
The following online sportsbooks accept bettors from El Salvador:
Bet Online Casino and Sports Book
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits! Use the code BOLCASINO
- 100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin or DASH. No code required.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: • Slot Games (progressive jackpot slots excluded) 100% • Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy 20% • Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker 10% • Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps 5% • Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft 0%
Wagering limitation:
- Any action on Baccarat, Roulette and Craps will not count towards the wagering requirement.
Betsson Casino and Sports Book
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to €100
- 101 free spins on your first deposit
- €5,000 every week for one lucky active returning player (no wagering limitation, no playthrough requirement)
US players can not register. Betsson has over 1500 games, the most games of any casino. You can read the review of Betsson casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus: • 100%: Slots • 10%: All Roulette (except Live), Caribbean Stud & Casino Stud Poker Games • 10%: All Casino Hold’Em, Red Dog, Pai Gow, Poker Games, Oasis Poker & Texas Hold’Em Poker Games • 5%: All BlackJack (except Live BlackJack), Baccarat, Video Poker, Pontoon, Beat Me, Punto Banco Games
Wagering limitation:
- The bonus cannot be wagered on the following games: 1429 Uncharted Seas, Aliens, Big Bang, Blood Suckers, Castle builder, Castle Builder 2, Champion of the Track, Dead or Alive, Devil´s Delight, Eggomatic, Epic Gems, Eye of the Kraken, Kings of Chicago, Pearls of India, Robin Hood, Scrooge, Sea Hunter, Super Monopoly Money, The Wish Master, Tower Quest, Wild Gambler, Wizard Shop, Zombies.
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
Lottery in El Salvador
Online lottery in El Salvador: unregulated
Lottery is legal and a state monopoly in El Salvador. The national lottery is called Lotería Nacional de Beneficencia de El Salvador. Originally created to help fund a hospital, revenues now go towards various social programs. The lottery offers a single numeric game called Lotra as well as scratch cards.
The Salvadoran national lottery has no online version, which means no legal options for online lottery games in El Salvador. However, locals are free to participate in lottery draws and games on international online lottery sites.
The following websites allow people from El Salvador to purchase lottery tickets online:
Bitcoin gambling in El Salvador
Bitcoin gambling in El Salvador: unregulated
Bitcoin gambling is, as all other forms of online gambling, unregulated in El Salvador. There are no Bitcoin casinos based in El Salvador, but locals are free to gamble on international Bitcoin casinos.
Bitcoin itself is not widely popular in El Salvador. There have been initiatives to promote the use of virtual currencies instead of the US Dollar (which is currently used) to achieve greater independence. However, there are currently no verified Bitcoin exchanges in El Salvador.
The bitcoin casinos below accept players from El Salvador.
The following online casino websites accept bitcoin, litecoin and ethereum, and accept players from El Salvador:
Black Lotus Casino
- Get 200% match bonus, up to $600. Use the code: WELCOME600
- +$30 bonus. Use code: WINBLACK
Bonuses for existing players:
- 32 Free Spins on Sweet Success Code: CHEER1
- 32 Free Spins on Nordic Wild Code: CHEER2
- 32 Free Spins on Cosmopolitan Code: CHEER3
- 32 Free Spins on 7 Chakras Code: CHEER4
- 32 Free Spins on Le Chocolatier Code: CHEER5
- 32 Free Spins on Fairy Dust Forest Code: CHEER6
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
- Playthrough requirement: 40-60x for match bonuses and usually 60x for free spins and other bonuses, depends on the bonus check the casino's web page for the specific, up to date, current playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Wagering limitation:
- 100% - Slots and Keno
- 50% - Roulette and Three Card Poker
- 25% - Baccarat
- 10% - Video Poker
- 5% - Blackjack, Craps
- 0% - Everything else
Bet Online Casino and Sports Book
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits! Use the code BOLCASINO
- 100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin or DASH. No code required.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirement: • Slot Games (progressive jackpot slots excluded) 100% • Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy 20% • Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker 10% • Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps 5% • Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft 0%
Wagering limitation:
- Any action on Baccarat, Roulette and Craps will not count towards the wagering requirement.
This page is part of Simon’s List – Legal Status of Online Gambling – a definitive guide to the legal status of all forms of online gambling activities in every country around the world.
Last updated: 2021-01-04
Gamble responsibly,
SimonTheSorcerer