Trinidad and Tobago Senate Passes Remote Gambling Order to Enable Licensed Operations from January 2027

Trinidad and Tobago has completed legislative approval for regulated remote gambling. The Senate passed the Gambling (Gaming and Betting) (Remote Gambling) Order 2026 on Friday (October 2), days after the House of Representatives gave unanimous support. Regulated online gambling is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027.

The order removes provisions under Section 76 of the Gambling, Gaming and Betting Control Act that had criminalized operators based in Trinidad and Tobago offering remote gambling services to customers in other countries. Penalties under the prior rules included fines and up to ten years’ imprisonment. Elimination of this prohibition is designed to draw both domestic and international igaming operators.

Legislative Changes and Implementation Timeline

Attorney General John Jeremie said remaining administrative steps, including procedures for issuing online gaming licences to local and foreign operators, will be fully implemented on or before January 1, 2027. The Gambling Control Commission of Trinidad and Tobago (GCC) will coordinate with the Central Bank over the coming months to finalize digital payment integration and electronic money issuer licensing.

Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo and Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development Kennedy Swaratsingh presented the order as a means to bring unregulated remote gambling activity into the formal economy. Faris Al-Rawi, an opposition senator, questioned the four years since the GCC was appointed in 2022 and sought details on licensing and potential foreign exchange outflows. Jeremie responded that such matters would be resolved by the January deadline.

Current Market Data and Projected Global Context

Tancoo reported 1,150 registered gaming-related accounts with the Board of Inland Revenue, split between 926 Gaming Amusement Tax accounts and 224 Club Gaming Tax accounts. Sector revenue reached TTD 72.66m (US$10.74m) in 2025. A coordinated enforcement exercise from October 2025 to February 2026 produced 247 payments worth approximately $15.58m across 240 accounts.

Swaratsingh noted that earlier laws predated the internet and that unregulated remote gambling had continued despite the prohibitions. He cited the global industry’s expected expansion to US$700bn in revenue by 2028 and stressed the order would establish proper regulation to generate revenue, employment, and foreign exchange while strengthening government oversight of operators. According to reporting by Focus Gaming News, ministers described the figures as painting a positive picture for Trinidad and Tobago in the gambling sector.

The approved framework leaves open questions on exact licence fees, technical standards, and enforcement mechanisms that the GCC must still define before the January launch.

Reporting: Focus Gaming News

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