Costa Rica

Population

The population of the country is over 5.1 million. Currently, 84.5 per cent of the population lives in urban areas.
The average age is 32 years. The average life expectancy is 81 years.
The literacy rate (the ability to read and write) among young people aged 15 to 24 is 99.32 per cent and among adults 98 per cent.

At the beginning of 2024, the population had the following age distribution:

• 5.9% - under 4 years of age
• 10.8 per cent - from 5 to 12 years of age
• 7.1 per cent - 13 to 17 years of age
• 10.2 per cent - 18 to 24 years of age
• 15.9 per cent from 25 to 34 years of age
• 15.5 per cent - from 35 to 44 years old
• 12.3 per cent - 45 to 54 years old
• 10.9 per cent - 55 to 64 years old
• 11.4 - 64 years and older

Most Costa Ricans are of European descent, as the country was a Spanish colony for a long time. 88% are European and mestizo descendants, 6.8% are mulatto, 2.9% are Native American, 1.3% are black or Afro-Caribbean, and 1% are Amerindian.

Language: The official language is Spanish. The second most common language is English.

Religion: Catholics - 75 per cent, Protestants - 15 per cent, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists - less than 5 per cent, the rest - do not belong to any religion.

Major cities: San Jose (capital), Cartago, Alajuela, Puerto Limon, Liberia.

Currency: Costa Rican Colón (CRC). 100 CRC = $0.20.

Financial opportunities

The poverty rate has steadily decreased year after year due to increased employment among residents. However, the wage gap between different social groups (by gender, ethnicity, and education level) is widening.

According to a recent report by the Costa Rican Institute for Economic Research, the overall poverty rate fell by 1.4 per cent year-on-year to 20.5 per cent in May 2024.

The poverty rate in urban areas fell from 20.1 per cent in May 2023 to 18.5 per cent in May 2024. In rural areas, from 26.6 per cent to 25.8 per cent over the same period.

The unemployment rate is 6.59% as of the third quarter of 2024, down from the previous rate of 8.53% for the same period.

The average wage is from $800 and the minimum wage is from $600.

Mentality

The arrival of Spanish colonisers in the 16th century had a profound impact on Costa Rican history. The Spanish brought with them customs, traditions and language that blended with the indigenous culture of the region.

Costa Rican culture is based on the philosophy of ‘Pura Vida’ or ‘Pure Life.’ ‘Pura Vida’ is a reflection of the nation's optimistic outlook and the ability to live in the present moment.

In Costa Rica is concentrated approximately 5% of the world's biodiversity. Therefore, the inhabitants value their nature very much.

In Costa Rican culture, red represents life and green represents prosperity.

The horse symbolises strength and luck, so some families keep these animals as a sign of status. You can also still see a horseshoe above the front door in many homes.

Most Costa Ricans carry amulets with them. For example, a frog amulet is associated with abundance and is considered a good omen for those starting a new business.

There is also an image or statue of Niguenta, a sitting girl, in every home. It is a symbol of good luck.

In general, people in Costa Rica are quite trusting.

Status of gambling

The country allows a national lottery, offline casinos operating only in hotels, and online sports betting.

There is no regulatory framework for online casinos in Costa Rica. That said, gambling operators are allowed to operate in the state provided that their transactions are not processed by local banks and they do not offer their services to residents of the country. As Costa Ricans are legally prohibited from playing at online casinos.

The government does not issue a licence in the traditional sense: companies receive a data processing permit. It allows the implementation of both offline and online gambling formats (casino, sports betting, poker, lottery), with the exception of offline bookmakers, which are also prohibited.

To operate legally in the state, gambling companies need to have a physical office in Costa Rica and a resident of the country as a legal representative.

The cost of data processing authorisation ranges from $7 to $15 thousand, but it is worth considering the additional costs of registering a company in Costa Rica, associated administrative costs and other.

Despite the absence of special levies on gambling, the country has tax obligations that all legal entities must fulfil.

Applications for authorisation are reviewed by the country's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Economy, after which they are submitted to local authorities for review.

Size of the iGaming market

By the end of 2024, online gambling revenue is expected to reach $167.9 million and online betting revenue is expected to reach $88.71 million.

By the beginning of 2029, online casino revenue is forecast to reach $220.40 million and online sports betting revenue is forecast to reach $117.8 million.

ARPU (average product revenue per player): $640 per year.

Internet accessibility

at the beginning of 2024, there were 4.84 million internet users and internet penetration reached 92.5%.

The average speed of wireless connection via Wi-Fi is 10.87 Mbps.

The average speed of mobile internet connection is 60.96 Mbps.

The volume of device usage:

• mobile - 55.73%
• desktop - 40.27%
• tablet - 4%

Popular web apps: YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook Messenger.

There were 3.86 million social media users in January 2024.

Number of active users in early 2024:

• Youtube - 3.86 million
• Facebook - 3.35 million
• TikTok - 3.12 million
• Instagram - 2.4 million
• Facebook Messenger - 2.15 million

Player preferences

The most popular sports in Costa Rica are football, American football and baseball.

In online casinos, slots take the lead. Slots with carnival themes, traditional Costa Rican music are especially appealing to locals.

Costa Ricans are also fond of card games. For example, rummy, which is similar to blackjack, but with some differences in the rules.

In addition, residents prefer Caribbean Stud Poker or ‘Tute’ as they call it, and pai gow poker. Then there is roulette and classic blackjack.

In general, themes related to the myths and legends of Latin America effectively attract both Costa Ricans and players from neighbouring countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Mexico.