Online bingo in Timor-Leste is now illegal following the government's dramatic reversal in October 2025. In a sweeping decision, Timor-Leste's cabinet approved a resolution to cancel all licenses granted for online gambling and betting activities (1). The government cited "identified risks to the country's security, social stability, economic integrity and international reputation" as justification for revoking all existing licenses and blocking new applications (1).
The sudden ban came just six months after Timor-Leste had established its offshore gaming regulatory framework, which included licensing provisions for online bingo and other gaming activities (2). The Virtual Gaming Association (VGA) had issued its first license in April 2025 to an organization called Golden River Universe Lda (GRU), intended to sub-license gaming activities in a manner similar to the Curaçao system (1). The reversal was prompted by mounting evidence of criminal infiltration, particularly in the Oecussi enclave, where organized crime networks were exploiting the unregulated licensing system (1).
"Once infiltrated by organised crime these jurisdictions often become hubs for cyber fraud, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. It exposes vulnerabilities in personal data protection and digital infrastructure, increasing the potential for fraud."
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) issued a critical warning in September 2025 about transnational organized crime establishing operations within Timor-Leste (1). Timorese authorities detained 10 suspects involved in illegal gambling and computer fraud schemes in late August in Oecussi, with investigations revealing involvement by individuals previously convicted of comparable offenses in other Asian countries (2). Minister Agio Pereira, along with security forces, now oversees compliance with the new restrictions, and the government has committed to developing new legislation to prevent future exploitation of its gambling regulatory system (2).
Source:
https://next.io/news/regulation/timor-leste-government-cancels-gambling-licences/
https://macaonews.org/news/lusofonia/timor-leste-online-gambling-2/
Last updated: 01-11-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
