Bitcoin Casinos in Venezuela

Venezuela’s history of gambling is long and convoluted as well as marked by unexpected twists and turns. To begin with, the European settlers brought gambling back in the day as a fun pastime activity mainly for the upper classes. However, regular people soon developed a palette for it, too. That is how games of chance became widespread across the country and gained a huge following.

In more recent history, the place of gambling in Venezuelan society has shifted throughout the years. Initially, it was illegal because it was viewed as a capitalist vice. However, gambling establishments of different sorts still existed mainly for the entertainment of tourists. In the 1990s, four fully-fledged land-based casinos operated with the government’s permission.

In 1997, the state decided to take a turn and legalized gambling. As in most cases, the idea was to limit criminal activities and gain more revenue. In 2012, online gambling was legalized as well. Two local Internet operators applied for and obtained licenses. However, they did not stay in business for long.

The general problem facing gambling operators in Venezuela has been the exacerbated economic and political situation. The Covid pandemic made things even worse, compelling many gambling operators to close.

Nonetheless, there is still hope on the horizon. Several factors contribute to the possible revival of the Venezuelan casino industry. We will discuss them in the section below.

Given the dire economic circumstances in Venezuela, the locals are notorious for often turning to gambling in an attempt to earn some additional income. However, we all know that gambling cannot be treated as a way of making a living. Therefore, this section focuses on Venezuela gambling as a means to entertain oneself rather than get rich.

That said, players in Venezuela are much into sports betting, with football being the most popular sport. This is far from surprising for a Latin American country, where football is almost a religion.

Another common trend across the countries on the continent, Venezuela included, is the possibility to bet on blood sports. Bullfighting and cockfighting are legal in the country. Nonetheless, such activities are not officially organized.

Venezuelans are keen on lotteries, too. You can buy a variety of scratchers and tickets from the numerous physical points of sale. You can do so online as well. Talking about online games of chance, local players are much into slot machines, just like fellow gamblers all over the world.

Poker, roulette, and blackjack are also among the most preferred games of Venezuela players. They enjoy them in land-based casinos when possible and – more frequently – by visiting online gambling sites. Live games are particularly attractive to most local gamblers.