Simon’s Guide to Gambling in French Guiana

Casino gambling is legal in French Guiana. However, there are currently no actual casinos in operation within French Guiana. The city of Kourou has been working on a casino project for quite a while, and there have also been talks of a Dutch company being granted a licence to construct and operate an additional casino.

Just as in France, online casino gambling is not among the activities permitted by the gambling regulations. Online casino games are believed to have a detrimental effect on the residents of the country due to their addictive nature. Still, there are no laws against French Guianese gamblers playing on international online casino sites.

Bingo is legal in France and all of its overseas departments, including French Guiana. The game generally played in France differs from the US version in that bingo cards have more rows, though the basics of the game are the same. Currently there don’t seem to be any bingo halls in operation in the territory.

Online bingo is also legal in French Guiana. It is not included among the types of games for which companies may apply for a gambling licence. Online bingo is considered to be a lottery style game, and as such it is covered by the monopoly of FDJ. Apart from the 6 bingo games offered on FDJ’s website, locals may also play on international bingo sites available to them.

Poker is legal in French Guiana, but there are no dedicated poker halls in operation within the territory. Poker is also often played at casinos, but with a lack of such establishments, French Guianese poker players would be hard pressed to find regular live poker games.

The best option for them is most likely online poker. Online poker is legal in France and its overseas department, as it is considered a game of skill and not a traditional casino game. There are about 15 online gambling operators licensed to offer online poker games within France and French Guiana. French Guianese poker players are “fenced off” from the international market, and may only play against others from France or its overseas departments.

Sports betting is legal and quite popular in all of France. It is divided into two categories: horse race betting, which is controlled by PMU and wagering on other sports, which is the area of FDJ. Pari mutuel betting, in fact originates from France and is a popular pastime within the country. There are no racetracks within French Guiana, though.

The easiest way for French Guianese gamblers to wager on sports events is through the internet. Both the PMU and the FDJ have websites, the former offering horse race betting and the latter other sports events. French Guianese bettors may wager on French and international events as well. There are also other licensed online sports betting operators in france, but none based specifically in French Guiana.

The French national lottery is in the hands of FDJ, which has a monopoly over lottery style games within the country and overseas department. Apart from traditional lottery draws, scratchcards and bingo are also available. French Guiana has no lottery of its own.

Tickets for the lotteries and games of FDJ are also available for buying online, providing easy acccess from French Guiana. As the monopoly of FDJ extends to online lotteries as well, no online lottery licences are issued to other gambling operators. Still, residents of French Guiana are free to participate in international lottery draws available to them.

Bitcoin and Bitcoin gambling are not specifically regulated in France or the overseas departments. However, it is illegal for unlicensed gambling companies to offer their services within the country, and there are no licensed Bitcoin casinos in France or French Guiana. Furthermore, online casino gambling is banned because of its addictive nature, making it illegal to operate Bitcoin casinos in French Guiana. However, there are no laws against locals playing in international Bitcoin casinos.