Online gambling in Vanuatu is legal and genuinely regulated, but chiefly as an offshore licensing hub rather than a domestic consumer market. Under the Interactive Gaming Act [Cap 261], the Vanuatu Gaming Authority (VGA) — working under the Department of Customs and Inland Revenue — issues an interactive gaming licence covering online casino, sports betting, poker and lottery-style games. Crucially, this licence is designed for operators serving international players (so-called pre-regulated markets), not for targeting Vanuatu residents. There is no dedicated, locally regulated online betting product for the domestic public, and residents who use offshore sites do so outside any Vanuatu consumer-protection framework.

Vanuatu has issued interactive/online gaming licences for many years; industry reporting describes the current framework as an update to a licensing system dating back to the 1990s. In July 2024 the government launched a modernised framework: Finance Minister John Salong and the VGA unveiled an online application portal, with the Department of Customs and Inland Revenue as regulator and VGA Limited processing applications under a public-private partnership. The reform introduced a EUR 5,000 application fee, a EUR 10,000 annual licence fee, a 15-year licence term and a 1% Wagering Activity Tax on gross gaming revenue.

This makes Vanuatu one of a handful of Pacific jurisdictions issuing online gaming licences — a role comparable to other offshore licensing hubs. It is a real regulator with due-diligence obligations, but the product is fundamentally an export licence. (Note: the VFSC is the licensing authority for virtual assets under the 2025 VASP Act; it is not the gaming licensor.)

Licensed vs offshore: what it means for players

Because Vanuatu licences are aimed at international customers, a Vanuatu-licensed brand is not the same as a locally supervised operator serving Vanuatu residents. For a player based in Vanuatu, an offshore site — even a Vanuatu-licensed one — offers no domestic dispute-resolution guarantee. If you gamble online, verify the operator’s licence directly, read the terms, and prefer brands with transparent ownership and published complaint channels.

Payments and crypto

Practical payment options on internationally focused sites typically include cards and e-wallets, and increasingly cryptocurrency. Vanuatu passed a Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Act (No. 3 of 2025) on 26 March 2025, naming the VFSC as licensing authority and applying FATF anti-money-laundering and travel-rule standards, with heavy penalties for breaches (reported at up to about 250 million vatu / USD 2 million and up to 10 years’ imprisonment). However, crypto is not legal tender in Vanuatu and is not covered by any statutory compensation scheme — so crypto deposits carry additional volatility and counterparty risk. Never deposit more than you can afford to lose.

Winnings tax

Vanuatu is a well-known no-income-tax jurisdiction: there is no personal income tax and no capital gains tax, so individual winnings are not taxed locally. Operators, not players, carry the gaming tax (1% of gross gaming revenue), and the country funds itself largely through a 15% VAT. If you are tax-resident elsewhere, your home country’s rules on gambling income still apply — check locally.

Safety and getting help

We could not confirm a dedicated national problem-gambling helpline in Vanuatu. If gambling stops being fun, you can use international resources such as the GamCare international support directory, or contact Vanuatu’s health and social-welfare services. Set deposit and time limits, avoid chasing losses, and take breaks.

Gambling is 18+ (or the applicable local minimum). Please gamble responsibly — if it stops being fun, stop, and seek support.

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