Panama: what it covers and what it means for players

For players in Great BritainUnder the Gambling Act 2005, section 33 makes it an offence to provide facilities for gambling without a Gambling Commission operating licence. Since the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014, section 36(3) and (3A) apply this to remote gambling facilities used in Great Britain even where none of the operator's equipment is in Great Britain, if the operator knows or should know they are being used here. A JCJ authorisation covers Panama only; Panama's own rules say a licence from another jurisdiction gives no right to operate or advertise in Panama (Resolution 11 of 2020, art. 2(8)). Likewise, a Panamanian authorisation does not permit an operator to offer gambling to people in Great Britain without a Gambling Commission licence. Advertising unlicensed gambling to people in Great Britain can also be an offence under section 330. How to check a site.

Licence types

Contrato de Administración y Operación de Juegos de Suerte y Azar a través de Internet (administration and operation contract for internet games of chance), granted by the JCJ under Decree-Law 2 of 10 February 1998 and the internet gaming regulation (Resolution 65 of 25 October 2002, replaced in substance by Resolution 11 of 6 March 2020)
Certificado de Idoneidad (certificate of suitability) under the same regulation
Registered supplier ('Proveedor Registrado') of internet gaming systems

What players get

Self-exclusion from all gaming rooms and internet games of chance in Panama, requested through the JCJ, any gaming venue or an online casino (JCJ responsible gambling programme)
JCJ Responsible Gambling Section (created by Resolution MEF-RES-2021-2425 and JCJ Resolution 5 of 3 June 2022) offers free confidential guidance, with a psychologist where available
Law 527 (2026, secondary): online platforms must offer voluntary spending and time limits, send automatic alerts on risky behaviour, and use biometric identity and age checks to keep out under-18s; the JCJ must audit digital platforms each year
Resolution 11 of 2020 prohibits bets on amateur sport in Panama and on elections

How to check a licence

No public list of JCJ-authorised online operators was found on the JCJ pages of the Ministry of Economy and Finance website. To confirm a licence, ask the JCJ directly through the MEF website. The JCJ says every internet betting site it authorises carries responsible-gambling tools.

Recent changes

2026-03: The National Assembly passed in third debate a bill on preventing gambling addiction and controlling online gambling (secondary).
2026-06-02: Law 527 promulgated (secondary). It treats gambling addiction as a public-health issue and lets the JCJ order blocking of websites, apps, domains and IP addresses offering gambling without a Panamanian licence, including from abroad. Telecoms providers face fines of up to USD 1 million for not complying, and operators face fines of USD 25,000 to 100,000 for breaches. It also funds treatment from 0.5% of state gambling revenue. The Executive has up to six months to issue implementing rules.

Context

Panama has a functioning online licensing regime: in 2021 the JCJ described online betting as regulated, with a first authorised operator (MEF, June 2021).

Resolution 11 of 2020 bars anyone from operating or advertising internet gambling in Panama without a JCJ contract, and lets the JCJ's Director ask the relevant state body to block unauthorised sites (art. 2(7)-(9)). Law 527 of 2026 put blocking powers on a statutory footing (secondary).

In April 2025 the Michigan Gaming Control Board issued cease-and-desist orders to two Panama-based online operators it said held no Michigan licence (secondary).

Game providers that cite this regulator

Habanero.

From the licences each provider lists on its own site. Supplying games (B2B) is different from running a casino (B2C).

Not yet verified

Law 527 of 2026 was confirmed only through trade press (Yogonet). The Gaceta Oficial text, its exact date and whether its implementing regulations have been issued were not checked.
Resolution 11 of 2020 is a 54-page scanned PDF; only pages 1-4 were read. Its rules on serving players outside Panama, on fees, and on any later amendments were not checked.
Whether the JCJ publishes a current list of authorised online operators was not established.
The 1998 Decree-Law PDF on the MEF site was linked but not opened; the 1947 founding date relies on the MEF/JCJ page.

We could not confirm these from a primary source, so we have not stated them as fact.