Palau's gambling framework rests on a general prohibition under the Criminal Code and 17 PNCA Chapter 50, alongside a narrow statutory exception. RPPL No. 8-54, amending 11 PNC §§1402-1403, authorises the Minister of Finance, with presidential approval, to grant up to two Virtual Pachinko Concessions and two Internet Digits Lottery Game Concessions, an export-only regime requiring domestic access blocking in cooperation with the Palau National Communications Corporation. The regime underwent a substantive reset in 2024: new Online Gaming Concession Agreement Regulations were approved on 22 April 2024, and an application window ran from 7 October to 31 December 2024, following the 2022 cancellation of both prior concessionaires, Wang Rong International and Golden Land Dynasty Holding. No award from the 2024 window has been publicly confirmed, leaving the concessionaire pool at zero confirmed active holders. Palau's AML/CFT posture, assessed through the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering rather than FATF directly, remains materially under-remediated since its September 2018 Mutual Evaluation Report.
Jurisdictions › Palau › Overview
Palau · Question 01 of 11
Overview: What kind of market is this?
Mixed · Probable · AI-generated · Back to full Palau report →
Key section parameters
| Jurisdiction | Palau (PW) |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Ministry of Finance (Bureau of Revenue and Taxation) |
| Favourability | Mixed |
| Confidence | Probable |
| Review status | AI-generated |
| Last collected | 18 Oct 2026 |
Summary answer
Palau's gambling framework rests on a general prohibition under the Criminal Code and 17 PNCA Chapter 50, alongside a narrow statutory exception. RPPL No. 8-54, amending 11 PNC §§1402-1403, authorises the Minister of Finance, with presidential approval, to grant up to two Virtual Pachinko Concession…
Key headwinds & conditions
- Prohibition of domestic market
- History of concession revocation (2022)
- No confirmed current active concessionaire