Top Online Casinos for Tonga
In contrast to many other Pacific nations, The Kingdom of Tonga has never been home to land-based casinos nor has it ever made any efforts to regulate online gambling.
The absence of specific legislation leaves plenty of room for speculations and free interpretations, all the more so, the country’s Criminal Offences Act that otherwise punishes persons who “play for money and other stakes” with a hefty fine, still mentions that such measures do not apply to any game played under “a license obtained under any legislation”.
Well, let’s try to look into that matter and figure out if residents or visitors of Tonga are subject to any restrictions related to gambling activities.
Overview
A Polynesian country in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean, Tonga consists of about 170 islands, some of which are inhabitants. Tongans are closely related to Samoans, sharing the same genetic heritage, culture, and language – but not the approach to gambling. Samoa can brag of two luxurious brick-and-mortar venues that offer baccarat, blackjack, roulette, and poker tables, as well as numerous slot machines. The truth is, Samoans are not allowed to gamble there but still, their country at least has gaming legislation.
Interestingly…
… there is no Tongan term for gambling, however, people in the Friendly Islands (it is the name coined by Capt. James Cook who visited the islands between 1773 and 1777 ) widely enjoy card games, bingo, and lotteries.
In fact, all the aforementioned activities are on the rise across the islands, and the picture of Tongan men clustering around at the markets and engaging in board or card games is something you can see every day and in different places. By the way, bingo is even played over the radio, drawing the attention of a broad audience in cities and rural areas alike.
It’s safe to say that gambling activities existed in Tonga long before the arrival of the first explorers from Europe. Many researchers claim that Lafo, an ancient Tongan throwing game where players use discs made from coconut shells, has clear characteristics of gambling.
Chinese migrants represent another significant factor in the introduction of games of chance across the country. During the wave of Asian migration in the twentieth century, many Chinese people chose Tonga as their final destination, bringing their games and a strong belief that gambling is tightly connected with luck and destiny.
Local Gambling Laws
As mentioned at the very beginning of this article, Tonga is not on the long list of countries with regulated gambling. The only official document that mentions “gaming houses” and “games of chance” is the country’s country’s Criminal Offences Act (Sec.82 and Sec.83), which was first published in 1924 and last amended in 2016.
While a gaming house is defined as “a house, room or place of any kind whatever kept or used as a place of resort for gaming”, the term “gaming” is described as “playing of any game of mere chance for money or other stakes of any description”. Participation in such activities is unlawful and subject to a fine or even jail time of up to 3 months. So, one doesn’t have to be a genius to figure out that the Government frowns upon gambling in general.
Does that mean land-based and online casinos are prohibited?
No, they are not prohibited but they are not allowed either – in the absence of any written regulations, it is impossible to talk about the legality or illegality. Actually, it is widely believed that with a population of just over 100,000, Tonga is too small, and all the hassle of creating specific legislation simply won’t pay off.
Plus, the internet coverage in the country leaves much to be desired, which is another reason why its Government doesn’t bother to take steps towards becoming one of the online gambling jurisdictions.
On the other hand…
… Tonga is interested in tourists and it’d be wrong to say, the country has never considered brick-and-mortar casinos as the surefire way for attracting visitors. By Act 25 of 1999, the Criminal Offences Act was replenished with section 83A titled Licensed Games, which states that Sec.82 and 83 “do not apply to any game played pursuant to a license obtained under any legislation”.
However, things didn’t go further than the amendment and chatter, and foreigners who come to enjoy the beautiful nature of the islands still cannot tap into the festive Vegas atmosphere. Who knows, maybe the situation will change in the future, if so, we’ll gladly add Tongan establishments to our list of land-based or online casinos.
Online Casinos In Tonga
As you have probably already guessed, there are no online casinos licensed in Tonga – the lack of respective legislation and as a result, the absence of the established authority and mechanism makes it impossible. On the bright side, Tongans have unimpeded access to a great many offshore websites licensed in some of the most renowned gaming jurisdictions.
It’s worth mentioning that high-speed internet was first introduced in the country only in 2013, meaning that it went online much later than the majority of other nations. Now, the islands are connected with the rest of the world through an undersea 514-mile fiber-optic cable that once was cut, causing an 11-days blackout. Tonga is connected with Fiji via the Southern Cross Cable, which in its turn, binds together Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, and the continental United States.
Luckily, it was the only large-scale accident, and today, both Tongans and visiting tourists can count on a stable internet connection that lets them take a tour of all the sites featured below.
Further Reading
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