Trinidad and Tobago approves online gambling legislation ahead of January 2027 launch

Trinidad and Tobago has cleared the final legislative hurdle for regulated remote gambling, with Senate approval on Friday, October 2. For igaming operators, the important part is not just that the market is opening, but that the government is already talking about digital payment integration and electronic money issuer licensing before launch.

1. The Gambling (Gaming and Betting) (Remote Gambling Order 2026) received Senate approval on Friday, October 2, after unanimous approval from the House of Representatives. The order creates the legal basis for remote gambling in Trinidad and Tobago.
2. The reform removes provisions under Section 76 of the Gambling, Gaming and Betting Control Act that previously criminalised operators offering remote gambling services internationally from within Trinidad and Tobago. In practice, that means the country is trying to move from prohibition to a licensing model for both domestic and international igaming businesses.
3. According to Attorney General John Jeremie, the remaining administrative provisions, including the rollout of online gaming licences for local and foreign operators, are expected to be fully implemented on or before January 1, 2027. That is the date the market is being set up to go live.
4. Between now and the January launch, the Gambling Control Commission of Trinidad and Tobago (GCC) will work with the Central Bank to finalise operational frameworks. The roadmap includes digital payment integration and electronic money issuer licensing, which tells PSPs and acquirers that payments infrastructure is part of the regulatory buildout, not an afterthought.
5. Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo argued that the move could unlock significant economic opportunities and generate new government revenue. He also said the existing law barred operators in Trinidad and Tobago from offering remote gambling services to people in other countries, with penalties ranging from fines to up to ten years’ imprisonment.
6. Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development Kennedy Swaratsingh said unregulated remote gambling had not been eliminated despite the ban, and that the amendments could create revenue, employment and foreign exchange by allowing the country to participate in a global industry expected to reach US$700bn in revenue by 2028.

For high-risk payment providers, the practical signal here is clear: Trinidad and Tobago is not just legalising online gambling, it is building the payment and licensing plumbing alongside the regime. That is usually the part that determines whether a market is actually workable for operators, PSPs and banks, or just workable on paper.