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TaiwanPoker in Taiwan

Taiwan has no casinos and gambling for money is a crime, but Texas Hold'em tournaments with a fixed entry fee and rank-based prizes have been ruled a skill competition by courts, so registered clubs such as CTP in Taipei run tournaments (not cash games). Online gambling, including on overseas sites, is a crime for the player.

Is Poker Legal in Taiwan?

Live Poker
Grey Area
Online Poker
Illegal
Casino Age
-
Last Checked

A summary of the law from official and reliable sources, not legal advice. Laws change: check the sources and the rules of the venue before you play.

AsiaPokerHub Data Desk
ByAsiaPokerHub Data Desk
Reviewed byJessy
•
4 min read

Based on data from AsiaPokerHub and generated using AI assistance. Fact-checked by Gábor Magyari, October 28, 2026.
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TaiwanTaiwan at a Glance

Capital
Taipei
Population
about 23.5 million
Currency
New Taiwan dollar (TWD, $)
Languages
Chinese
Time Zone
UTC+8
Calling Code
+886

Where to Play Poker in Taiwan

The casinos and venues that host the most poker festivals in our database.

Taiwan

CTP Asia Poker Arena

Taipei, Taiwan
Festivals
34
Next Festival
Taiwan

Red Space

Taipei, Taiwan
Festivals
6
Next Festival
Taiwan

CTP Club (Bade Road)

Taipei, Taiwan
Festivals
3
Last Festival

Poker Tournaments in Taiwan

Taiwan Poker Calendar
Nov 12 - Nov 292026 · 18 daysAPT Championship Taipei 2026Asian Poker TourDec 9 - Dec 202026 · 12 daysAPC Taipei IV 2026Asia Poker ChampionshipCancelledDec 16 - Dec 212026 · 6 daysOla Poker Tour Taipei 2026OLA Poker Tour

Biggest Results in the Last 12 Months

EventFestivalWinnerEntriesPrize Pool
#1011 APT Championship Main Event FreezeoutNov 28 2025Asian Poker TourAPT Championship Taipei 2025TaiwanTaipeiIndiaNishant Sharma671TWD 194.1M~$6.2M
#54 APT Main Event @REDMay 2 2026Asian Poker TourAPT Taipei 2026TaiwanTaipeiHong KongChun Shing Lau2,354TWD 111.9M~$3.6M
#1013 High Roller Championship - Double Re-EntryNov 29 2025Asian Poker TourAPT Championship Taipei 2025TaiwanTaipeiIrelandToby Joyce117TWD 75.8M~$2.4M
#60 Main EventJul 27 2026Taiwan Millions TournamentTaiwan Millions Tournament TMT 20TaiwanTaipeiSouth KoreaDaeyoung Park9,094TWD 66.8M~$2.1M
#1007 Super High Roller ChampionshipNov 23 2025Asian Poker TourAPT Championship Taipei 2025TaiwanTaipeiCzech RepublicRoman Hrabec81TWD 59.5M~$1.9M
#51 Main EventFeb 9 2026Taiwan Millions TournamentTaiwan Millions Tournament TMT 19TaiwanTaipeiSouth KoreaZee Hyo Jung8,066TWD 59.2M~$1.9M

Is Live Poker Legal in Taiwan?

Grey Area

Criminal Code Art. 266 punishes gambling in public places with a fine of up to NT$50,000, and running gambling for profit is a separate, heavier offence. Courts have acquitted Texas Hold'em associations, finding that tournaments with a fixed entry fee, prizes by finishing rank and no conversion of chips into cash are a skill competition, not gambling; the Chinese Texas Hold'em Poker Association (CTP Club) reports a Supreme Court outcome in its favour in February 2025. Police still raid venues that run cash games or let players cash out chips under a 'poker association' name, so only tournament play at established clubs is on solid ground.[1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

  • No legal casinos: offshore islands were allowed casinos by referendum in 2009, but Penghu voted no (2009, 2016), Kinmen voted no (2017), and Matsu's 2012 yes vote never led to a casino because the gaming law was not passed.
  • Tournament model: fixed entry fee, scheduled blinds and end, prizes paid by finishing position, chips have no cash value.
  • Cash games are treated as illegal; established clubs host only tournaments and satellites.
  • February 2026, Chiayi: police detained 27 people at a fake 'Texas Hold'em competition association' that exchanged cash for chips.
  • August 2025, Taipei: police detained 67 people at a venue accused of running cash poker under the guise of tournaments.

Where You Can Play Legally in Taiwan

  • Registered Texas Hold'em clubs running tournaments only (e.g. CTP venues in Taipei)
  • International poker festivals hosted by these clubs (APT, Taiwan Millions and others)

Age: Taiwan has no casinos. CTP tournament venues require players to be 18 or older (club rule reported by SoMuchPoker).[8]

Is Online Poker Legal in Taiwan?

Illegal

Taiwan has no licensed online gambling. Since an amendment passed on 28 December 2021, Criminal Code Art. 266(2) makes gambling via telecommunications, electronic communications or the internet an offence with the same fine of up to NT$50,000; before that, private online play was often only an administrative offence. Courts regularly fine players caught betting on online casino sites.[1, 2]

Licensed online poker
None
Players can be prosecuted
Yes
Sites blocked
Unclear
Advertising ban
Unclear
  • No licensed online poker or casino operator.
  • Players are liable under Criminal Code Art. 266(2): fine up to NT$50,000 plus forfeiture of winnings.
  • Example: in May 2026 the Taichung District Court fined an online slot and lottery player NT$15,000 and confiscated NT$16,000 in proceeds.
  • Operators of online gambling for profit face Art. 268.
  • No verified information on site blocking or an advertising ban specific to gambling.

Poker Cities and What to See

Taipei

Taiwan's capital, reached via Taoyuan International Airport, is the centre of the island's tournament poker scene, with venues in Zhongshan and Songshan districts on the MRT network.

Poker in Taipei

What to See in Taipei

  1. 1Taipei 101The landmark skyscraper with an observatory and a mall at its base.
  2. 2National Palace MuseumOne of the world's great collections of Chinese art.
  3. 3Raohe and Shilin night marketsStreet food such as pepper buns, oyster omelettes and bubble tea.
  4. 4Longshan TempleA historic and busy temple in the Wanhua district.
  5. 5Elephant MountainA short, steep hike with the classic view of Taipei 101.
  6. 6JiufenHillside old-street town above the sea, a day trip by bus or train.

Travel Tips for Players

Visa
Citizens of many countries, including the US, UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and EU states, get visa-free entry for up to 90 days (30 days for some, such as Singapore and Malaysia); passports need 6 months' validity and an online arrival card is required. Details: boca.gov.tw
Money
The currency is the New Taiwan dollar (TWD); tournament buy-ins are listed in TWD. Accepted payment methods at the clubs were not confirmed, so bring cash and check with the organiser.
Casino Entry
There are no casinos. For CTP venues, international players must register as members with an original passport (digital copies are generally not accepted) and be 18+.
Tax on Winnings
We have not confirmed yet how poker winnings are taxed in Taiwan. Check with the venue or a tax adviser before you play for large amounts.
[8, 12, 14]

Responsible Gambling

Gambling should stay fun. If it stops being fun, get help early.

Help in Taiwan: No gambling-specific helpline. Ministry of Health and Welfare 1925 Safety Line (free mental-health line, Mandarin).

More help and international lines on our Responsible Gambling page.[13]

Poker in Taiwan: Frequently Asked Questions

Poker for money is gambling and illegal, and there are no casinos. Texas Hold'em tournaments with a fixed entry fee and prizes by finishing position have been ruled a skill competition by courts, so registered clubs legally run tournaments, but not cash games.

Sources

The legal answers rest on official sources: laws, regulators, government and courts. News and poker media are marked as secondary sources and are used for the poker scene, not as the only basis of a legal answer.

  1. 1.臺灣臺中地方法院 115年度中簡字第1205號刑事簡易判決 (Taichung District Court judgment, 25 May 2026) - Judicial Yuan, accessed October 28, 2026
  2. 2.刑法第266條修正 網路賭博入罪 (Criminal Code Art. 266 amendment covers online gambling) - The News Lens (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
  3. 3.Profile of Dai Hsing-hsiung, Texas Hold'em competition association - Business Today (今周刊) (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
  4. 4.德州撲克是賭博嗎? 法院判決無罪 (Court acquits Texas Hold'em association) - The News Lens (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
  5. 5.CTP Club's Landmark Victory Strengthens Live Poker In Taiwan - SoMuchPoker (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
  6. 6.嘉市警方破獲德州撲克假競賽 27人落網 - United Daily News (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
  7. 7.Taipei police raid poker venue (August 2025) - Public Television Service (PTS) (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
  8. 8.Asia Poker Arena & Red Space venue guide - SoMuchPoker (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
  9. 9.Penghu poll again rejects casinos, margin wider - GGRAsia (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
  10. 10.Kinmen casino vote October 28 - Global Gaming Business (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
  11. 11.Kinmen residents reject casino legalization - World Casino Directory News (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
  12. 12.Foreign nationals eligible for visa-exempt entry - Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan), accessed October 28, 2026
  13. 13.1925 安心專線 - Ministry of Health and Welfare, accessed October 27, 2026
  14. 14.All the Key Information for Your Poker Trip to Taipei (APT Taipei 2025) - Asian Poker Tour (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026

Poker in Other Countries