Estonia

Estonia regulates gambling under the Gambling Act (2009, repeatedly amended; consolidated version in force from 21 November 2025) and the Gambling Tax Act, with the EMTA as licensing authority and supervisor. Operators undergo a two-stage process: a perpetual activity licence followed by an operating permit (up to 5 years for remote gambling), with minimum share capital of EUR 130,000 for toto and remote gambling taxed at roughly 6% of GGR.

Sports betting and horse racing both fall under the "toto" category and are open to any qualifying licensed operator. Estonia enforces a closed-to-unlicensed model: the EMTA maintains a public blacklist of 1,800+ illegal remote-gambling domains and orders ISPs to block them (technical-requirements transition deadline 1 January 2027). From 1 January 2026 cryptocurrencies are treated like cash so licensed operators may accept crypto.

Age limits are tiered: 21 for casino games of chance, 18 for toto/sports betting, 16 for lotteries. Prediction markets have no carve-out; under the broad statutory definition of gambling (bets on "the occurrence of a previously unknown event") they would be unlicensed gambling, hence treated as prohibited.

Online sports betting is legal and regulated in Estonia. Licensed Estonian betting sites operate under the supervision of the Tax and Customs Board and accept customers 18 or older.

In addition, Estonian sports betting sites must adhere to various consumer protection measures designed to ensure the fair treatment of customers, protect minors, and encourage responsible gambling. Other legal Estonia online betting options include tote horse racing wagering, casino games, and games of skill.

Estonia Betting Sites

A favorable tax rate and reasonable licensing conditions make the Estonia online betting market attractive to operators. As a result, fans can choose from multiple highly-regarded betting sites and claim sizable welcome bonuses along the way.

Licensed sportsbook brands have undergone vetting by the Tax and Customs Board and must comply with its regulatory controls. The Board has issued licences to dozens of betting sites in Estonia; the operators listed here are the ones recorded for the market.

Additionally, the following online bookmakers are licensed in Estonia, and readers can verify their licenses at the Tax and Customs Board here.

22Bet Estonia

• Read more: 22Bet Review

22Bet carries an extensive wagering catalogue, in-play betting and live streams, and supports dozens of cryptocurrencies as deposit methods.

After registering, 22Bet Estonia customers can access a massive betting menu that covers mainstream and niche sports in extreme detail. Customers can bet on dozens of football leagues, esports, and even rare sports like Muay Thai kickboxing.

• Is 22Bet licensed in Estonia: Moon Technologies OÜ holds an Estonian toto (betting) permit, HKL000382, and the Tax and Customs Board names 22bet among its brands — but that permit records "Kaughasartmäng: Ei", meaning it is not a remote-gambling permission, so an online betting licence is not established

• Does it support EUR deposits: Yes

• Does it support the Estonian language: Yes

• Deposit methods in Estonia: Visa, Mastercard, credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, and many cryptocurrencies

bet365 Estonia

• Read more: Bet365 Review

Bet365 holds licences in many countries, and it is an choice in Estonia as well. Since receiving its Estonia sports betting license, Bet365 has expanded its wagering menu and added new features.

• Is Bet365 licensed in Estonia: Yes

• Does it support EUR deposits: Yes; Bet365.ee accepts EUR and USD but can also perform exchanges for any other currency

• Does it support the Estonian language: Yes

Bet365 Estonia deposit methods and limits:

• Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro debit cards: €5 to €40,000

• Visa and Mastercard credit cards: €5 to €40,000

• Apple Pay: €5 to €5,000

• Trustly instant banking (Swedbank, Luminor, SEB, LHV Pank, and Coop Pank): €10 to €6,000

• Wire transfer: €10 to €150,000

Unibet Estonia

• Read more: Unibet Review

Unibet is one of the world’s most established sports betting operators (established in 1997) and holds dozens of sports betting licenses worldwide. In other words, Unibet is a highly-vetted operator with a long track record. Unibet also provides comprehensive sports coverage and a strong promotional lineup.

• Is Unibet licensed in Estonia: Yes

• Does it support EUR deposits: Yes

• Does it support the Estonian language: Yes

Unibet Estonia deposit methods and limits:

• Visa and Mastercard credit cards: €10 to €13,000

• Visa and Mastercard debit cards: €10 to €13,000

• Instant banking: €10 to €10,000

• Apple Pay: €5 to €50,000

• Neteller: €15.00 to €13,000

• Skrill: €15.00 to €13,000

Estonia Sports Betting Laws

The Gambling Act and the Gambling Tax Act regulate sports betting in Estonia, while additional regulations outline licensees’ duties regarding online wagering. Together, these laws comprise the legal, regulatory, and taxation framework for all forms of online betting in Estonia.

Estonia passed the Gambling Act in 2008, which took effect in 2009. The Tax and Customs Board then began issuing activity licences for the organisation of gambling, including licences for remote sports betting.

However, only a few operators applied for remote wagering licenses because the law required operators to host their servers in Estonia. Instead, many foreign betting sites continued accepting wagers from Estonians without licenses.

The Estonian government responded by blocking access to sports betting sites that accept Estonians without licenses. Internet blocking wasn’t successful in convincing operators to apply for licenses, but the Tax and Customs Board still maintains a blacklist of nearly 2,000 websites that local internet service providers must block.

Lawmakers approved an amendment in 2012 easing Estonia’s licensing conditions to attract more applicants. Under the amended law, online sportsbooks may qualify for licenses if they are licensed in other countries and those countries’ licensing authorities are willing to share information with the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

The amended law had the desired effect, and many mainstream sports betting operators have applied for Estonia online sports betting licenses. Some of the key online betting regulations require licensed operators to:

• Implement mechanisms to prevent anyone under 18 from betting on sports

• Confirm the age and identity of every new customer

• Collect every customer’s name, ID number, and date of birth

Additional responsible gambling regulations direct licensed Estonian betting sites to:

• Prevent persons with certain disabilities from betting on sports

• Provide methods for customers to set loss limits

• Continuously show customers how long they have been logged in

• Provide notices in “an attention-grabbing manner” about the risks of problem gambling and provide information about help resources

Estonia Sports Betting Taxes and Fees

Companies that wish to operate online sportsbooks in Estonia must first apply for two licenses. First, they need an activity license to offer sports betting. If they receive an activity license, they must then apply for an operating permit to offer sports wagering online.

Licensing fees and taxes:

• Activity license fee for organizing a toto (sports betting): €31,960

• Operating permit fee to offer remote sports betting: €3,200

• Estonia sports betting tax rate: 6% of the amount received from bets less winnings (raised from 5% in 2024, and legislated to rise again to 7% in 2026)

History of Legal Sports Betting and Gambling in Estonia

Legal gambling came to Estonia in 1991 after achieving independence from the Soviet Union. Under Soviet rule, all forms of gambling were banned nationwide. Immediately after gaining independence, Estonia established a national lottery.

Lawmakers passed the 1994 Lottery Act and 1995 Gambling Act to bring land-based casinos to the nation. Over the next 15 years, more than 90 casinos opened across Estonia.

The first Estonian gambling site opened in 2004 with the creation of the state-owned sportsbook Spordiennustus. That company remained the sole provider of online sports betting in Estonia until the Tax and Customs Board began issuing remote betting licences under the Gambling Act, which entered into force on 1 January 2009.

Today, online gambling, poker, and online sports betting are legal and well-regulated in Estonia. Gamblers have a wide range of options to choose from thanks to common sense gambling regulations that make it feasible for European operators to offer their services to Estonians.

Despite its small population of 1.5 million people, Estonia is an attractive betting market thanks to its well-written legislation, low tax rate, and straightforward licensing process. Estonia is also noteworthy as the home country of PlayTech, one of the world’s largest gaming software providers.

Estonia Online Horse Racing Wagering

Online horse racing betting is legal in Estonia and regulated by the same provisions that govern toto (sports betting). Licensed Estonian betting sites may offer totalizator (pari-mutuel) wagering or fixed-odds horse racing betting to customers 18 or older.

The Estonian horse racing industry is comparatively small on the international stage, but fans can visit licensed online sportsbooks to bet on horse races in Estonia and elsewhere. Tallinn Hippodrome offers harness racing in the capital every two-three weeks from May through December each year.

Legal Estonia Horse Racing Betting Sites

Toto.ee is the only locally-operated website dedicated to horse racing betting in Estonia, but its track coverage and wagering options are limited. The best choice for horse racing fans in Estonia is Bet365.ee for several reasons.

First, Bet365 Estonia covers racetracks worldwide to ensure bettors always have races available to bet on and watch live. In addition, Bet365 offers a combination of fixed-odds, ante-post, and tote horse racing wagering.

And finally, Bet365 Racebook runs a 24/7 Best Odds Guaranteed promotion to ensure fans always get the best odds on their horses whether they take the fixed-odds or SP (starting price). If anyone takes the fixed-odds price, but the SP ends up higher, Bet365 will pay their bet at the better price.

Estonian Online Betting Banking Methods

Estonian betting websites accept dozens of different deposit methods that players can use to fund their accounts and receive withdrawals. The most common sports betting deposit methods include credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and instant bank transfer. Some licensed Estonian betting sites also accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Some online betting sites also accept Estonia-specific deposit methods that work directly with your bank to process deposits. Here’s a look at three of those.

• U-Net: U-Net works with your bank to send money straight from your banking account to your gambling account. If you choose this option, you will be sent to an encrypted website where you can enter your banking details to complete the deposit. The money is instantly debited from your bank account and sent straight to your gambling site.

• Swedbank: Swedbank works in almost the same manner as U-Net. Choose this method, and you’ll be sent to a website where you can enter your banking details and complete the transaction. All deposits made with Swedbank are credited instantly.

• Trustly: Trustly also facilitates payments between your bank account and gambling site without requiring a credit or debit card number. This method uses either a unique transaction number for increased security or sends you to your online banking login page, where you can complete the deposit with your bank.

This method and the two others described above are used for deposits only. When it’s time to withdraw, you can receive a bank wire or check in the mail.