Best Betting Sites in Honduras

The Republic of Honduras is a Central American country bordered by Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Its capital and largest city is Tegucigalpa, with a total population of nearly 10 million. Sports are very popular, especially football, basketball and baseball. The national football team (Los Catrachos) has participated in three World Cups (1982, 2010 and 2014).

Gambling in Honduras has been regulated since 1977; however, the law framework is vastly outdated. No amendments or new laws have been voted on since, and obviously, there are no references to the online sector. As a result, online betting is unmonitored in Honduras and perceived to be totally legal. Players are increasingly placing bets at online bookies; they are in search of better odds and more betting options than the sole local operator is offering.

Best Honduran Betting Sites

Many operators accept local bettors and the offering is quite rich; so we list the best online bookies in Honduras to make your choice easier. Their welcome offers, along with the extensive coverage of all the major football leagues globally, make them stand out from the competition.

Betting in Honduras - 5 Things to Know

• 1
  The legal gambling age is 18
• 2
  The land-based sector has been regulated since 1977
• 3
  There are many brick-and-mortar bookies and a few casinos
• 4
  Many international bookies accept Honduran players
• 5
  Online gambling in Honduras falls under no law framework

General info

⏩Population: 9.700.000

⏩Active players: 1.500.000

⏩Currency: Lempira (HNL)

⏩Regulated gambling products: Casino games, lotteries, sports betting

⏩Operator types: Casinos, lotteries, bookmakers, unlicensed online bookies & casinos

⏩Designated authority: No designated authority

⏩Status: Semi-regulated

Is Online Betting in Honduras Legal?

To put it simply, gambling is legal in Honduras. Still, by that, we mainly mean lotteries, land-based casinos and bookmakers. There is no designated authority in place, just the local Institute of Tourism which overlooks all procedures. LEY DE CASINOS, JUEGOS DE ENVITE O AZAR, decree 488 of 1977 is still the only existing piece of gambling law. As one may easily guess, it does not include any chapters regarding the online sector. Gambling online in Honduras is still left out of the law framework.

However, for players who want to place a bet, Honduras offers many options. Sports betting takes place within the numerous bookmakers' stands and shops. There are no licensed local bookies, with the exception of Betcris, which is actually Costa Rican.

Nonetheless, it operates many betting shops throughout Tegucigalpa and other major cities. There is also no clear framework or procedure for an entity that wishes to obtain a license. Getting in touch with the Institute of Tourism is the only known step towards that. The tax for either casinos or bookmakers stands at 20% on their GGR.

Yet, with no laws on online betting in Honduras; players freely reach out to any bookmaker they want. Authorities are too busy with everyday crime in the country. Literally, no one seems to care or even take notice if Hondurans place their bets with offshore bookies. Lastly, there are no reports of monitoring or prosecuting bettors at any point.

Essential Info for Bettors

You need to be over 18 to participate in any gambling. Moreover, the authorities neither block access to online operators nor they seem eager to regulate the online sector. It is generally considered legal, though, to gamble online. There are many South American online bookmakers in Honduras that you might come across. To put it simply, you should avoid them. Most of them are scams, and since there’s no regulatory body, you won’t be able to claim anything if a problem comes up.

What you should do is stick to the betting sites we list in our analysis. These are all licensed by respectable authorities from around the world. If any dispute comes up; their customer support will, in most cases, be available 24/7 at your disposal.

How to Deposit at Online Bookies

Banks do not block transactions. So, players use bank wires and credit cards when gambling online. EcoPayz and top e-wallets are available, and Sticpay betting is growing, providing fast and secure transactions. Cryptocurrencies, on the other hand, are extremely popular in the Honduran online gambling scene. So popular that in August 2021, the first crypto ATM, ‘la bitcoinera’, made its appearance in Tegucigalpa. More and more bookies are also using cryptocurrency payments. So, familiarize yourself with it if you haven’t done it already and enjoy.

What the Future Holds

The tough situation in which the country finds itself as we speak cannot be overlooked; both politically and economically. From that scope, online bookmakers in Honduras are not actually expecting any changes; at least imminent ones. The country needs to address many issues before the government seriously considers regulating its online gambling sector. On the other hand, players enjoy totally free access to Honduran online bookies.

Moreover, the rapid growth of the use of cryptocurrencies among locals portrays a familiarity towards new technologies. The local gambling sector definitely has potential. Time will show if the state chooses to regulate it and benefit from it appropriately.

Gambling in Neighbouring Countries

Sports betting is very popular in Central America, where you can easily plan a nearby trip to visit casinos or bookmakers. Most of the nearby countries have more political and economic stability than Honduras, but they do not necessarily have a more relaxed regulation for gambling. We'll take a look at some of these countries to have an understanding of their situation and be compliant with local laws.

⏩ Guatemala: considers all forms of gambling illegal, but this doesn't stop its residents from enjoying unlicensed land-based and online casinos and bookmakers without obstructions. There have been talks of legislative changes, but for now,  betting sites in Guatemala are accessible without repercussions.

⏩ El Salvador: has a semi-regulated gambling market, as a confusing 2002 law amendment came into force, and some casinos were able to grab licenses. But a regulatory authority is missing and online gambling is treated as legal. Also, with the adoption of Bitcoin by the government, online gambling in El Salvador is quite popular.

⏩ Nicaragua: bookmakers are legal and regulated. The country passed a law that allowed land-based casinos to obtain licenses, while Nicaraguan betting sites remain unmentioned and ignored by the law. Therefore, locals are free to access any bookmaker that provides its services for Nicaraguans.