Online betting in Papua New Guinea sits in a genuine grey area. The Gaming Control Act 2007 (administered by the National Gaming Control Board, or NGCB) opened the door to internet and lottery gambling, but there is still no clear online-licensing regime, few if any locally licensed online sites, and a new Gaming Control Bill 2025 went to consultation in 2025. In practice most Papua New Guineans who bet online use offshore platforms that PNG’s regulator does not oversee. Cryptocurrency is neither legal tender nor formally regulated. Treat the space as unsettled, use it cautiously if at all, and verify your own tax position.

Gambling in Papua New Guinea is governed today by the Gaming Control Act 2007 and regulated by the National Gaming Control Board (NGCB), the country’s statutory gambling authority. When the 2007 law passed, the government framed it as a way to attract investment, taxes and foreign currency, and it allowed for overseas-based lottery products and internet gambling. In practice, however, online gambling has never been given a clear, dedicated licensing category, and few if any online operators appear to be locally licensed. The result is a grey area: not clearly prohibited, but not properly regulated either.

That may change. In 2025 the NGCB ran a consultation on a proposed Gaming Control Bill 2025, intended to modernise the regulation of casinos, online gaming, sports betting and lotteries. Until that becomes law, the online picture stays unsettled.

Licensed vs offshore operators

The NGCB’s day-to-day focus has historically been land-based gaming: gaming machines (locally called pokies) in licensed clubs and hotels, licensed retail bookmakers, and NGCB-licensed lottery products. Dedicated, locally licensed online casinos are scarce. That means most online betting from PNG happens on offshore sites licensed in other jurisdictions.

The honest caveat: offshore operators are outside NGCB oversight. If a withdrawal is withheld or an account is closed, PNG’s regulator cannot intervene. If you choose to play, prefer operators holding a recognised licence elsewhere and read their terms carefully.

Payments and crypto status

AspectStatus in PNG
Local currencyPapua New Guinean kina (PGK)
Local licensed online optionsVery limited
CryptocurrencyNot legal tender; not formally regulated
Central bank stanceBank of PNG does not issue/regulate crypto; warns on risk

The Bank of Papua New Guinea has stated that cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are not accepted currency, have no legal-tender status, and are not issued or regulated by the central bank, and it has warned about investment risks. Separately, the Bank announced the results of a CBDC (central bank digital currency) proof-of-concept — a “digital kina” trial — in January 2025 with Japanese partners. That is a state project, not an endorsement of private crypto. Using crypto to gamble therefore stacks regulatory uncertainty on top of the offshore-site risk.

Winnings and tax

PNG taxes gambling primarily at the operator level, and there is no clearly published tax specifically on individual players’ winnings — PNG’s published individual-income guidance does not address gambling or lottery winnings at all. Because the position for players is not spelled out publicly, confirm your own situation with the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) rather than assuming winnings are tax-free. This is an area where PNG’s published guidance is limited.

Safer gambling and help

The NGCB is tasked with promoting responsible gambling as part of its regulatory role. There is no widely publicised dedicated national gambling helpline; if gambling is causing harm, contact the NGCB or local health and community services. Set deposit and time limits before you play, never chase losses, and treat any money staked as money you can afford to lose.

You must be of legal age to gamble. Gambling can be addictive — please play responsibly, set limits, and seek help if it stops being fun.

Sources