Gambling Regulations in Different Countries
Online gambling has taken the world by storm in the past two decades. Today, the industry is worth billions as more people continue to opt for online casinos. With this tremendous growth, the need to regulate the industry was inevitable. Currently, most governments across the world have enacted different laws that dictate the legality of different forms of gambling. While some have gambling laws at federal level, other have given states the autonomy to formulate their own laws.
Major regulated gambling markets
There are several countries that have legalized online gambling paving the way for their citizens to place sports bets and play casino games. Here is a look at online gambling in America, Germany, the Netherlands (more info: www.onlinecasino24.nl) and the United Kingdom (more info: www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk).
Online gambling in America
Online gambling in The USA mainly entails casino games, bingo, horse race betting, online poker, and sports betting. While sports betting is legal under the federal law, the current state of online gambling remains murky. For sports betting, different states have different laws on what is legal and accepted.
In recent years, the sports betting market has expanded with states now issuing licences for operators to conduct business in a legal and regulated environment. As for bingo and horse race betting, the laws remains fairly lenient across many states.
Online casinos in the Netherlands
The enactment of the Remote Gambling Act paved way for online gambling in The Netherlands. Previously, online gambling was illegal in the country. With the new law in force players can now place their wagers on remote games of chance.
However, the Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit (more info: kansspelautoriteit.nl), has set in some strict rules in a bid to protect consumers. Currently, there is a handful of licenced operators offering betting services. More are expected as the industry continues to grow.
Gambling regulations in the United Kingdom
Online gambling in the UK has been legal and regulated for sometime now. In some instances, horse race betting has a history spanning over three centuries. The UKGC is the regulatory body that regulates all gambling activities. Different forms of gambling are legal for players who are aged 18 years and above.
Even so, the country has very strict laws that are aimed at protecting minors and problem gamblers. All licensed online casinos need to integrate GamStop, a self exclusion program aimed at helping problem gamblers.
Online gambling laws in Australia
The laws that regulate online gambling in Australia are dictated by the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001. Under this law sports betting and lottery games are allowed for Aussies. On the other hand, the law prohibits online casinos, in-play sports betting and betting on a lottery outcome. However, the legality of betting in off-shore sites that lack an Australian license remains in a legal gray area.
Gambling online in Arab and Asian Countries
With Islam being predominant in Arab countries, all forms of gambling are illegal. In this case, these countries neither allow land-based casinos nor online casinos. Even so, some countries such as Egypt, UAE, and Turkey, have land-based casinos that are not accessible by foreigners. While come countries have penalties for anyone who engages in gambling, others will have jail time for offenders.
Nonetheless, gambling enthusiasts find a way by accessing off-shore websites via proxy or VPN. Despite the lack of laws governing off-shore gambling, there is still a lot of backlash on gambling in Arab countries.
On the other hand, Asian countries are different when it comes to regulating online gambling. While some allow online gambling and host a number of online casinos, there are Asian countries that have imposed a total ban on the same.
- B.E. Delmer, Gambling911.com
