Poker in the Dominican Republic: licensed, including online poker
The Dominican Republic is one of the few countries in the Caribbean that licenses online poker specifically — and one of the few anywhere where table-game winnings are not taxed at the player's end.
Play online from Dominican Republic
WPT Global
WPT Global is the World Poker Tour's real-money online room. Regular satellites and Passport packages send online players to WPT festivals around the world.
Play at WPT Global →Also accepting players from Dominican Republic: Ya Poker · CoinPoker (crypto). 18+ · advertising.
Is online poker legal in Dominican Republic?
Upcoming tournaments in Dominican Republic
All tournaments| Dates | Event | Venue | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 – 26 Nov 2026 | CLSOP 2026 — NLH Open | Santo Domingo Bay Convention Resort & Casino | $110 |
| 24 Nov – 2 Dec 2026 | CLSOP Festival — Caribbean Latin Series of Poker, Santo Domingo, November 2026 | Santo Domingo Bay Convention Resort & Casino | $500 |
| 26 – 27 Nov 2026 | CLSOP 2026 — NLH High Roller | Santo Domingo Bay Convention Resort & Casino | $800 |
| 27 Nov – 2 Dec 2026 | CLSOP 2026 — Main Event NLH | Santo Domingo Bay Convention Resort & Casino | $500 |
| 1 – 2 Dec 2026 | CLSOP 2026 — Second Chance | Santo Domingo Bay Convention Resort & Casino | $200 |
| 2 – 6 Dec 2026 | Suprema Poker Tour — Punta Cana, Stage 4, December 2026 | Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana | $500 |
| 24 Jan – 2 Feb 2027 | WSOP Super Circuit LATAM — Punta Cana, January 2027 | Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana | — |
Poker rooms & casinos in Dominican Republic
All venuesTop players from Dominican Republic
All players| # | Player | Hometown | Live earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elvyn Bello Santos | Bellflower, California | $1,914,353 |
| 2 | Francis Cruz | — | $1,671,281 |
| 3 | Albyn Bello | — | $565,114 |
| 4 | Norman Rodriguez | — | $524,267 |
| 5 | Alberto Meran | — | $416,312 |
| 6 | Mario Concepcion | — | $348,882 |
| 7 | Thien Doan | — | $140,442 |
| 8 | Julio De la Rosa | — | $138,806 |
| 9 | Pedro Green | — | $132,927 |
| 10 | Joaquin Matos | — | $130,774 |
The legal position
Gambling in the Dominican Republic is overseen by the **Dirección de Casinos y Juegos de Azar (DCJA)**. The framework dates back to 1964 and was modernised in 2024, and it licenses casinos, online casino gaming, sports betting and **online poker** as recognised categories.
That puts the DR ahead of most of its neighbours. Costa Rica issues no gambling licence at all; Ecuador bans casinos outright. Here there is a regulator, a licensing regime, and a named place for poker inside it.
The minimum age is 18 across all verticals.
Tax — the detail that matters for poker
Lottery and sports betting prizes above DOP 100,000 are taxed on a tiered scale from 10% to 25%, and slot winnings carry a flat 10% withholding.
**Table game winnings are typically untaxed at the player level.** Poker sits with the table games rather than the slots or the lottery, which is a materially better position than a player faces in most of the region. Worth confirming against your own circumstances — this is general information, not tax advice.
Live poker
The Dominican Republic has a long-established casino industry serving Santo Domingo, Punta Cana and Puerto Plata, built around the resort trade. That gives the country more live table poker than its size would suggest, and more than most of Central America.
The player
Elvyn Bello Santos is the first Dominican player to build a serious international record: $1,906,935 in earnings and **224th on the Global Poker Index**, a ranking that reflects current form rather than career length. He was runner-up in the 2025 Los Angeles Poker Classic Main Event for $300,000 and took fifth in a WPT Championship event at the Venetian that July.
Like most Caribbean and Central American professionals, he is based in the United States — the nearest place to find regular fields of that size.
Frequently asked questions
Is online poker legal in the Dominican Republic?
Yes. Online poker is a licensed category under the framework overseen by the Dirección de Casinos y Juegos de Azar, alongside online casino and sports betting.
Are poker winnings taxed?
Table game winnings are typically untaxed at the player level. Lottery and sports betting prizes above DOP 100,000 are taxed from 10% to 25%, and slots carry a flat 10% withholding.
What is the minimum gambling age?
18.
Who is the Dominican Republic's best player?
Elvyn Bello Santos, with $1,906,935 in earnings and a world ranking of 224th.