Best casinos online in Costa Rica (2024)
Costa Rica is one of Latin America’s major industrial hubs. When it comes to gambling, which has been rapidly growing in the past couple of years, this country is also quite surprising. Games of chance were initially outlawed by the 1922 Gambling Act, yet subsequent regulations and government initiatives have paved the way for casino sites in Costa Rica. As a result, the country is now having thousands of hotels where only tourists can enjoy table games, slots and play cards altogether.
As for casinos online, Costa Rica doesn’t regulate nor license operators for the time being. It might sound strange but this is not a deal breaker, as there are legal ways to set up an online gambling company in the country. So, if you’re wondering how such a thing is possible and what are some of the best online gambling hubs in Costa Rica, we’re going to walk you through everything you need to know to choose what’s best for you.
Trusted casino sites in Costa Rica
If you are ready to start searching for the best casino online Costa Rica has to offer, we have compiled a list that includes all the top operators that are currently active. You will also find detailed information about each operator’s bonus offerings, payment options, license, and our objective rating to help you make the right choice.
How we rate a top online casino in Costa Rica
There are a lot of crucial aspects that must be checked before reviewing an online casino. Operating under a legal license comes first, as this is how all iGaming establishments get to offer their services in Costa Rica, and below you will find out what are the main features of each casino included in our list.
Variety of Games
The first major aspect we base our rating on is the number and variety of games each online casino offers. Costa Rica has several top-tier operators that offer 1000+ online casino games from every relevant category. If video slots are your go-to games, there are operators focusing exclusively on these, while having a limited number of table and live dealer games. However, if you prefer the latter, there are several brands in our list at which you will find the most popular blackjack, roulette, baccarat and poker tables in the world.
Spanish Language
Another essential criterion in our rating process is the website’s availability in Spanish. In that direction, any top online casino Costa Rica has to offer makes sure to translate its platform so that locals can navigate and enjoy it with ease.
Costa Rican Colón Availability
To make for an exquisite gambling experience, it’s essential for players to be able to deposit and withdraw in their local currency. All top-level operators offer Colón as the primary currency so that you may easily track your balance and control the amounts of your stakes.
Rewarding Bonuses
The usual welcome bonus practised by international casinos in Costa Rica consists of a 100% match that goes up to 140 CRC. Some operators throw in additional free spins to sweeten the deal, while others rely on subsequent reload, cashback, and other bonus offerings so that they can keep their players entertained and motivated at all times.
Range of Payments
Aside from credit/debit cards, the most popular banking options available in any online casino Costa Rica offers include e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller, Mint prepaid cards, SafetyPay, and the locally acclaimed Efectivo. Mobile players can use a dedicated solution called Mobiamo, which is fast, reliable, and very user-friendly.
Fast Payouts
Withdrawals’ processing times are another crucial factor for any top-level casino in order to score high on our rating cards. Nowadays, the gaming experience must be fast and of high quality, so the speed at which you can cash out will separate the best casinos in Costa Rica from the average ones.
How do online casinos in Costa Rica operate
Regarding online gambling, Costa Rica has a rather unusual status quo, in the sense that the state doesn’t impose regulations, nor does it grant operating licences. Let’s then see how companies legally operate under these circumstances.
Based on the current interpretation of the gambling law, the actual location of an operator is not really the place where online gambling takes place. Instead, it’s the location where transactions are being processed that is taken under consideration, which is how international casinos manage to offer their services here.
Bottom line, the Costa Rican state will not grant gambling licences to operators, but it will allow companies to exist and provide their services here, as long as transactions are not processed through local banks
One of the best parts about this hands-off approach practised by the authorities is the lack of taxation, meaning that outside operators only have to cover their licensing and providers’ costs with no need to pay any additional local taxes. This translates into the minimum or non-existent transactional fees, and this is how reputed casinos manage to operate in Costa Rica while offering high-quality services and products.
Is online gambling legal in Costa Rica?
Not being able to acquire an online gambling licence, casino operators often turn to a data processing one, which basically allows them to offer call centre services. And while online gambling is not typically legal, in the sense of locally operating an online casino, Costa Rica gambling laws do allow international companies who process transactions abroad to operate here.
Thus, international casino operators can apply with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Economy and acquire a data processing licence; still, though, physical presence in the municipality in which they register will be required.
In conclusion, online gambling Costa Rica operations come from abroad and do provide services that are in conformity with the current interpretation of local gambling laws.
How to deposit at online casinos in Costa Rica
Much like in any other online casino out there, topping up your account is fast, simple and straightforward. The best casino sites Costa Rica has to offer have all made sure to integrate the safest and most popular banking options so that you can choose from a variety of local and international solutions.
When it comes to credit or debit card transactions, both Visa and Mastercard are available in just about any online casino. They are also quite popular as they allow local players to deposit in Costa Rican Colón (CRC).
Then you have two of the most popular e-wallets in the world, Neteller and Skrill, which need no introduction, followed by SafetyPay, AstroPay and local methods, such as Mint prepaid cards or Efectivo.
Lastly, players that prefer gambling on their mobile devices can use Mobiamo, a dedicated tool that is extremely user-friendly and compatible with all major operating systems.
The future of gambling in Costa Rica
Given the government’s friendly and tolerant attitude towards outside operators, the Costa Rica online gambling industry has been experiencing constant growth, increasing in popularity from year to year. The absence of local regulations and taxes attract more and more operators to this relatively new market. As it stands, online gambling in Costa Rica is already showing great revenue numbers.
New gambling regulations will most likely be adopted in the near future, bringing along higher standards for licensing; but this can only push the casino Costa Rica online gambling sector forward, leaving no choice to both local and international operators other than to improve their game and services.
Yes, gambling is legal in Costa Rica when it comes to land-based casinos. As for the online sector, the best online casino Costa Rica operators are international ones that must simply not process transactions locally.
Costa Rica has thousands of hotel resorts that include casino establishments, as well as 40 land-based casinos located in the capital city of San José.
The legal gambling age is 21, however, that only applies to tourists and non-residents. Locals are not allowed to gamble.
No, according to the current gambling law, winnings generated outside of Costa Rica will not be subjected to any tax.
Yes, the best online casinos in Costa Rica offer a wide Live Casino section with Live roulette tables, blackjack, game shows and more.
Yes, all top casino sites Costa Rica offers, advertise generous bonuses for locals. Welcome offers usually consist of a 100% bonus up to 140 CRC. Beyond that, players can benefit from a wide variety of promos, such as reload and cashback bonuses, free spins, loyalty points etc.