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Iceland Sports Betting Sites, Bookmakers and Bonuses

The nation of Iceland sits in the north Atlantic between Great Britain and Greenland. Its natural beauty is highlighted by geysers, glaciers, active volcanoes, and spectacular waterfalls. It also provides a front-row seat for viewing Aurora Borealis. One thing that you won’t find dotting the landscape is casinos.

If Iceland football betting is your cup of tea, you won’t get to enjoy it as a local bookie. Most forms of gambling, including casino gambling and poker, are illegal and virtually non-existent in this sparsely populated country of just over 330,000 inhabitants.

Top Betting Sites for Iceland in 06 March 2024 – Updated List

Rank
Bookmaker
Bonus
Safe & Trusted
Rating
Get Started
1
Exclusive 10% Rakeback
Yes
Rating 9.99 out of 10
2
100% up to €500
Yes
Rating 9.97 out of 10
3
Exclusive: 130% up to €143
Use Promocode: GAMBLINGJUDGE
Yes
Rating 9.95 out of 10
4
Exclusive: 100% up to €130
Use Promocode: GJBET
Yes
Rating 9.93 out of 10
5
Exclusive: 100% up to €130
Use Promocode: JUDGE
Yes
Rating 9.92 out of 10
6
100% up to €122
Yes
Rating 9.91 out of 10
7
100% up to €100
Yes
Rating 9.89 out of 10
8
100% up to €100
Yes
Rating 9.87 out of 10
9
BET €10 GET €30
Yes
Rating 9.85 out of 10
10
100% up to €500
Yes
Rating 9.81 out of 10

The Short History of Gambling in Iceland

  • 1926 – first gambling law in the country. This law stated that all gambling operations and foreign lotteries conducted without permission are illegal.
  • 1933 – An amendment to the law allows the University of Iceland to hold a monthly lottery. (80% of lottery revenues go to the university.)
  • 1972 – Due to a gap in the law, different types of lotteries began to be held in the country.
  • 1984 – The first general state lottery was organized.
  • 1994 – Slot machines become legal.

Betting in Iceland: Your Options

Residents are relegated to lotteries, a few slot machines, bingo, and a narrow selection of sports wagering. This is obviously a problem for those who had high expectations from Iceland betting. With the exception of the lottery, these activities are not offered on a large scale mainly due to the fact that operators must hand over all profits to charity.

Snowboarding bookmakers, just as those who focus mainly on football or other popular sports are not keen on giving away all the profits they make. So, if you wanted to be a legal bookmaker you would need to run it as a non-profit enterprise. The ban on betting extends to internet gambling.

Online Betting in Iceland

There are no online bookmakers in Iceland but the government has been very lenient when it comes to Icelandic sports betting fans who want to lay wagers with the biggest betting companies. This is the silver lining that Iceland football betting fans count on. The authorities do not block foreign betting websites nor do they prosecute those who place bets with them. In essence, Icelandic sports betting is alive and well and there doesn’t appear to be any changes in the works.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Bet on Iceland Football

Actually, this guide is not just for Icelandic football betting: you can use the steps below to place a bet on any sport you like.

  • Check our list of Iceland betting sites and pick one.
  • Visit the website of that bookmaker and create an account.
  • Log in with your credentials and make your first deposit: Don’t forget to claim your bonus too. (If you must use a specific payment method, remember that we have specific lists too, such as bank transfer bookmakers and betting sites.)
  • Check the list of available sports: You can see them on the main page.
  • Pick one (i.e. football), and check the list of available matches/events.
  • Pick a match/event and see all available betting options for it. Make sure to check the odds too.
  • Pick one of the betting options (i.e. who will win the match) and enter your bet amount.
  • Click the “submit” button on your betting slip and complete the process. Good luck!

Best Icelandic Betting Sites for Icelandic Bettors

With the Icelandic authorities virtually giving online bookmaking activities their blessing, Icelandic punters are looking for the world’s best internet bookmakers to place their action with. Punters have no shortage of options with most of the top-rated bookmakers accepting their bets. This means that in spite of the illegal nature of the activity, locals don’t have a problem placing an Iceland bet online.

Melbet, Cbet, Nordicbet, and Betsafe are trusted by Icelandic sports bettors just as they are trusted worldwide. Seasoned punters know that internet bookmakers such as TornadoBet, Betway, and TotoGaming can also be relied on to give customers competitive odds, player protection, and the latest customer loyalty options. These are quite important for those who intend to bet on Icelandic football at a foreign bookie.

Icelandic sports bettors have faith in leading bookies like Betclic and 888. If you are looking for instant withdrawal bookmakers, these international betting sites besides having great gambling bonuses also provide easy payment options, and fast payouts. They are right to give them their confidence, given their reputation on the international scene and the top-notch Iceland betting odds they offer.

Most Popular Sports for Iceland Online Betting

For a relatively small population, Iceland is a huge supporter of sports. Naturally, winter sports are very popular here. Skiing, bobsledding, snowboarding, and ice climbing have a solid following while track and field, basketball, wrestling, and aquatics appeal to many. It should go without saying that soccer gets a lot of attention too.

In this regard, we can say that football, handball, ice hockey, and athletics are the most popular sports in this country, and you can find a betting opportunity for them at all Icelandic betting sites. (In this regard, make sure to check our handball bookmakers and betting sites list.)  In terms of football, the famous Eiður Guðjohnsen is from Iceland, and he played for Chelsea F.C. for a long time. While Icelandic football teams are not amongst the best in Europe, this is still a popular sport in the country, and Iceland football betting is quite common. (If you are planning to bet on football, make sure to check our virtual football betting, football strategies and systems, and virtual football betting strategy guides first.)

In regards to athletics, Gunnar Huseby is kind of a legend in Iceland and there are several athletes who competed in Olympics, such as Vala Flosadóttir and Hreinn Halldórsson. But this island nation truly shines when it comes to handball: There are several handball leagues in the country and Iceland’s handball team is one of the best in the world: It has won a silver medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics. (Did you know that we have a hockey betting guide too?) Simply put, betting Iceland is centered around these sports, and they are available at top bookmakers & all other online betting sites.

The Legality of Iceland Betting Sites

Icelanders are allowed some opportunities for sports wagering and online gambling is one of them. However, because bookmakers need to be run as a non-profit enterprise, there are none operating here. This leaves punters with only one other option and that is to seek out foreign-operated internet bookies.

While these foreign operators are not licensed in Iceland, the government makes no attempt at stopping them from accessing the Icelandic gambling market. Sites are not blocked and punters are not punished. This explains why punters who want to place an Iceland bet instinctively choose international gambling companies.

If we make a summary of Iceland gambling sites and laws, here is the short version:

  • With the exception of slot machines and charity gambling, all kinds of gambling activities (both land based gambling and online casinos) are technically illegal in Iceland. This includes online betting too. There is no local Iceland betting company.
  • Technically, the age of gambling is 18 but since gambling is banned, it is “forbidden” for all ages.
  • Only lotteries are legal and charity gambling can only be organized by the University of Iceland and Íslandsspil.
  • There are no land-based casinos in Iceland. Likewise, there are no physical booths (or betting sites) for sports betting in Iceland. There are some places named “casino” (i.e. Casino Club Bar Mónakó in Reykjavik) but they only contain slot machines and nothing else.
  • There are no taxes for slot machine winnings. In general, you don’t have to pay a tax if you win something from gambling.
  • Despite all these bans, Icelandic players can still play at offshore online sports betting sites. In other words, international Icelandic betting sites are not banned. More importantly, the government cannot prosecute players for playing at them. This is because of a 2016 EU Court of Justice ruling: If a country does not provide a way to obtain a local license, it cannot prevent its citizens from playing at that operator’s website. So, yes, there are no betting sites in Iceland but you can use all bookmakers on the internet, use all kinds of payment methods, and pay in local currency (Icelandic krona).

Sports Betting Bonuses and Free Bets for Icelandic Players

Even though the Icelandic betting market is small, online bookmakers fight just as hard here as they do anywhere else to lure and retain customers. This bodes well for Icelandic punters who like receiving bonuses from the world’s best online bookmakers. They catch their eye with bonuses and welcome offers and keep them entertained by providing a wide spectrum of Iceland football betting options.

18Bet is an industry leader and they are giving away €50 worth of free plays. You are an instant winner with StakeSports exclusive 10% rakeback on signup.

Everyone loves cash and many of the best bookmakers on the planet are throwing stacks of it right at you. Betwinner will give Icelandic sports gamblers 100% up to €130. They can use this money for Iceland betting markets, or try deferent leagues and even venture in the uncharted realm of exotic sports.With so many free bets and other bonuses available, Icelandic punters should check out Gambling Judge’s sportsbook promotions. These valuable bonuses are easy to claim and simple to use. Just be sure to read the terms and conditions that apply to each one.

Mobile Betting in Iceland

The explanations we made above also apply to mobile betting: Iceland gambling laws do not change depending on the platform used. In other words, mobile betting is also considered illegal. You can still play with mobile devices at international betting sites, but you cannot use native applications on the Play Store and App Store. Due to local laws, these platforms will not even allow you to show apps that allow real money betting. However, you can still use the mobile versions of Iceland betting sites through your browser.

Best Payment Methods to Use at Iceland Betting Sites

Due to the EU ruling mentioned above, local payment methods are not affected by gambling laws and are not restricted by the government. In other words, you can use any payment method at Iceland betting sites. However, to be on the safe side, we recommend that you do not use bank transfers. In this context, the most ideal payment methods you can use at Icelandic betting sites are:

What to Expect from Icelandic Betting Sites?

PROS

  • Players can still use international betting sites
  • It is possible to use the local currency
  • You can use almost all of the payment methods

CONS

  • Gambling is strictly prohibited
  • No local operators

FAQ About Iceland Betting Sites

Simply check our list of Iceland betting sites to find operators that accept Krona. We update our lists all the time and the brands may change in time.

No. All gambling related winnings are tax-free. And if you win something at international betting sites (or online casinos), it is still tax-free.

No. Due to a 2016 ruling of the EU court, Icelandic players cannot be prosecuted just because they play at international betting sites.

Sports betting is the most popular form and football, handball, ice hockey, and athletics are the most popular sports. You can find them at all Icelandic betting sites.

Currently, the government does not have such a plan and players do not have any demands as they are free to play on international sites. We don't know what the future will bring.

If you play at fair, safe, and licensed bookmakers, yes, it is trustworthy. To play at such Iceland betting sites, check our list of recommended operators.

Are You ready to Play at Best betting Sites Iceland?

If you are ready, start by checking our list of Iceland betting sites. There are no betting sites in Iceland, but the internet is full of options. We picked the best ones and listed them for you. All you need to do is choosing one, creating an account, and start playing. Our list of Icelandic betting sites contains dozens of operators, and we are sure that at least one of them is the right option for you, you can also try out our gambling options, among which you can find the Iceland gambling sites and law. Good luck!

No. 1 choice for sports betting in Iceland

Together with a welcome bonus offer