Online casinos are illegal in Taiwan following amendments to Article 266 of the Criminal Code that took effect on January 14, 2022. The amendment explicitly criminalizes gambling via telecommunications equipment, electronic devices, the Internet, or any similar method, increasing maximum fines from TWD 30,000 to TWD 50,000 (1). This change addressed previous ambiguity regarding whether restricted-access gambling sites constituted a public place, effectively closing the loophole previously exploited by online gambling operators (1).
Land-based casinos remain prohibited throughout mainland Taiwan under the Criminal Code of the Republic of China, with only state-run lotteries like the Uniform Invoice lottery permitted. The 2009 Offshore Islands Development Act legalized casino construction on the islands of Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu, though no casinos have been built despite two-thirds of local residents favoring the projects (2). The legal gambling market is limited to the state-run sports lottery managed by China Trust Bank and Taiwan Sports Lottery Company Ltd, offering a payout ratio of approximately 78 percent (2).
"This amendment explicitly makes it a crime to gamble via telecommunications equipment, electronic devices, the Internet, or any other similar method."
Taiwan imposed severe penalties for illegal sports betting manipulation in June 2025, with prison sentences ranging from seven years to life for individuals whose actions undermine sports lottery fairness and cause death. Those causing serious injuries face three to ten years imprisonment alongside fines from NT$ 20 million to NT$ 50 million (2). The illegal online gambling sector continues flourishing despite crackdowns, with five IT professionals convicted in 2024 for running three gambling sites handling nearly NT$ 4.8 billion in bets (2).
Source:
https://eiger.law/taiwan-tightens-the-noose-on-online-gambling/
https://sigma.world/news/taiwan-law-life-illegal-sports-betting/
Last updated: 13-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
