Online Gambling Laws Around the World: A Global Comparison
Many EU countries have developed legal regulations for this industry and have opened access to the best foreign sportsbooks and land-based casinos. Others set limits or apply a full ban on gambling with strict penalties and let illegal casino-like destinations flourish because of that. Unfortunately, global gambling regulatory standards differ greatly, and now it is time to compare online gambling laws all around the world and discover if US laws are more open and welcoming to casino players.
Around 26% of the global population has online gambling experience, while the online gambling market is projected to reach $97.7 billion in 2024. The analysis of the global gambling market allowed us to discover that 32 countries prohibit local gambling companies from operating without licenses but open access to a whole variety of foreign gambling sites. 32 countries allow all online casinos to operate only if they possess a local gambling license. 28 countries ban citizens from gambling, and 93 countries neither ban nor license online casinos at all.
Europe: A Pioneer in Online Gambling Regulations
Europe has always been considered a pioneer in online gambling regulations. The EU sets the overall gambling framework for the region, and every country has its own laws. The licensing and taxation of online casinos is regulated by the EU Gambling Act of 2014, and gambling is considered legal in many European countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and others. The leading European gambling market is naturally the United Kingdom, with annual revenue of $6.9 billion. It is famous for its recognized licensing organ – The UK Gambling Commission, which puts much emphasis on responsible gambling.
Asia: A Complex Landscape of Gambling Regulations
The regulation of the gambling industry in the majority of Asian countries can be called very strict. Many countries impose an outright ban or very high requirements for gambling sites.
China's Illegal Gambling Market
China boasts a massive illegal gambling market with a market volume to reach $15.7 billion by 2028. Traditional gambling is out of law there, but mobile games and digital lottery tickets are sold legally there.
Growth in the Philippines and Macau
Online gambling has become a lucrative industry with impressive profiles for such Asian countries as the Philippines and Macau. On the other hand, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea prohibit all forms of gambling and sports betting even for local sports.
Latin America: Rapid Growth of iGaming Markets
The iGaming markets of Latin America are developing at an incredible speed, and online gambling is going to quadruple in size by 2027. This happens because many LatAm countries have legalized gambling, and operators and legislators worked a lot to create stable markets ready for expansion.
Brazil's Legalization and Mexico's Market
Brazil has always been called the sleeping giant, which finally legalized gambling in 2023 and created the National Secretariat for Games and Betting to regulate this sphere. Mexico began to apply gambling regulations in 2004 and continues doing that since it has the 2nd largest gambling market on the continent. 2017 was a sign year for Colombia, which legalized all major forms of gambling, too.
The USA: A Complex and Evolving Landscape
The USA is considered to be one of the leaders in many industries, and gambling isn’t an exception. However, the landscape of online casino regulations is complex and constantly evolving there. 7 US states, such as Nevada and New Jersey, have legalized gambling and embraced the industry benefits, but a vast majority of states continue to maintain strict restrictions and outright bans. Even the enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act didn’t stop players from accessing foreign licensed casinos, so many gamblers continue placing bets illegally and aren’t afraid of possible penalties.
A Global Trend: The Rise of Offshore Casinos
It seems that the way gambling regulation is represented in the USA reflects the situation all around the world. 7 American states where gambling is legalized have taken a more progressive approach and generate great revenues similar to the countries where this industry is regulated.
Speaking of the states where online gambling is officially prohibited, but there is hardly any gambler who is punished for the violation of the law, they face a consistent increase in the number of gamblers who play at offshore casinos without a self-exclusion scheme. A similar situation is in over 100 countries that still haven’t regulated this sphere as well.
The Need for Clear Regulations and Responsible Gambling
What does it mean? Even despite numerous bans on online casinos, players continue to find online destinations where they can feel the pleasure of gambling. Isn’t it a reason to develop clear regulations and cope with all the benefits and challenges that arise in this case rather than promote illegal gambling? This is a thing to consider for the governments of many countries!
