The Parliament of Mongolia recently passed a new law banning all forms of gambling, including land-based and online operations, in the country. Lawmakers are citing the possible social and economic harm of online gambling as the reason for the ban.
Blanket Ban on All Forms of Gambling in Mongolia: Quick Overview
- The ban criminalises all forms of paid betting activities, both online and at brick-and-mortar venues and has been effective since July 1, 2025. Facilitating any form of gambling activity in Mongolia will now attract legal action according to the country’s Criminal Code.
- The legislation includes the Law on Authorisation, Law on Offences, and amendments to the Criminal Code. The Mongolian Parliament first approved the draft law during the spring session on May 30, 2024.
- A massive outflow of capital, to the tune of 1.7 trillion Mongolian Tugrik (approximately €404 million) abroad via online gambling between 2023 and 2024, prompted a financial investigation. The outcome forced the government to take decisive action.
Hosting and Facilitating Any Form of Paid Gambling Will Attract Legal Action
Mongolia’s Parliament, the State Great Hural, has enforced a blanket ban on all forms of gambling and sports betting activity in the country. The prohibition has been effective since July 1, 2025. The amended regulation forbids online gambling, sports betting, lotteries, and all other paid prediction games.
Hosting or facilitating paid games of chance online or at a physical location is now a criminal offence under the country’s Criminal Code. Violating the ban will attract financial penalties, mandatory community service of up to 720 hours, up to three years of prison time, and up to one year of travel restrictions.
Authorities will track repeat offenders via payment accounts, e-wallets, phone numbers, virtual assets, and other digital identifiers. In such cases, the financial penalties will be doubled, along with jail time of up to a year, travel bans, and mandatory community service.
The amended legislation also bans all forms of online gambling promotions. Violations will be subjected to administrative penalties and booked under the nation’s Law of Administrative Violations. Offences include promoting gambling operators directly or colluding with violators.
The law also targets the use of technology, such as a VPN. Violators caught evading the ban using technology will be held accountable under the new law. Any individual or organisation found in violation of the legislation will be prosecuted under the provisions of the Mongolian Criminal Code.
Real-World Effect of the Ban on Gambling
The comprehensive ban became an agenda item after a financial investigation revealed that a staggering sum of 1.7 trillion Mongolian Tugrik (roughly €404 million) was siphoned abroad between 2023 and 2024 through online gambling operations. The amount equates to approximately 485,000 MNT (€115.43) per Mongolian citizen.
The currency outflow poses a major financial risk to Mongolia’s foreign reserves, not to mention that growing instances of gambling fraud and harm have been reported in Mongolia in recent years.
Authorities believe that banning gambling operations is the logical step to prevent online casino scams, uphold public welfare and restore economic stability. However, implementing these reforms on the ground could be challenging. Mongolian punters and gamblers can easily circumvent the restriction by engaging with offshore gambling sites. In the absence of an established regulatory body, these sites are notoriously difficult to prosecute.
The government is working on regulating the sports betting market. In March, plans to draft a separate regulatory framework to legalise sports betting were set in motion. Authorities believe this will ensure that Mongolian consumers remain safe when wagering on sports through trusted sportsbook software providers, as licensed operators will be under direct state oversight.