Since the general ban on gambling in 1941, the only legal gambling activities are lotteries under the state monopoly and horse racing betting. According to Brazilian jurisprudence, poker is considered a game of skill and therefore not illegal.

However, it is legal in some states of the United States, some provinces in Canada, most countries of the European Union, and several nations in the Caribbean. In many legal markets, online gambling service providers are required by law to have some form of license provide services or advertise to residents there.