Timor-Leste bans online gambling

The government has cancelled all licences and halted new applications following UN warnings.

Timor Leste.- The government of Timor-Leste has moved to cancel all licences for online gambling and betting, citing threats to national security, social stability and the country’s international reputation. The resolution, approved by the Council of Ministers this week, also halts procedures for issuing new licences, effectively imposing a nationwide ban.

Authorities said the decision follows mounting evidence of criminal infiltration linked to illegal gambling operations. Earlier this month, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warned of growing risks of cross-border fraud schemes in the country, noting parallels with the expansion of illicit online gambling networks in Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines and Malaysia. Police have already carried out arrests connected to illegal betting and computer fraud.

Officials fear the risks could intensify when Timor-Leste formally joins the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) later this month. The government has pledged strict enforcement of the ban to safeguard stability and protect the nation’s image abroad.

The move marks a sharp policy reversal. Just in April, Timor-Leste granted its first offshore igaming licence to Golden River Universe, a subsidiary of global operator GDLotto, in what was framed as a strategy to diversify the country’s economy and develop its digital sector. That plan now appears to be off the cards as the government prioritises security and reputational concerns.

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The government has cancelled all licences and halted new applications following UN warnings. Timor Leste.- The government of Timor-Leste has moved to cancel all licences for online gambling and betting,…