Online Betting Legal Countries
Europe also has many countries with different approaches to the legality of online gambling. Some countries outright ban it, while others have formally legalized it and put proper regulatory frameworks in place. The United Kingdom is the best example of the latter. All forms of online betting and gaming are completely legal, and very well. The government of Australia has set out laws that govern gambling within the country. Nevada and New Jersey have legalized land-based casinos, with some legal online gambling. California and Florida have thriving legal live poker industries. However, both states have resisted calls.
There are many such countries and getting an exhaustive list is almost impossible given there are lots of grey markets having unclear and ambiguous laws around gambling. Some of the countries that come to mind are: 1. It is legal to place sports bets online in Canada, but the laws surrounding sports betting sites state that any gambling website based and located in Canada must hold a government-issued gambling.
Before opening an online project, every operator primarily asks the question: what market to choose? Where can I operate freely, and where do I need to go through the licensing procedure?
Slotegrator examined this question. Our experts prepared a list of countries where online gambling operation is legal.
To make it even more convenient, we sorted them by continents. It includes not only those countries subject to certain requirements and where online gambling is regulated by law. There are also those countries where online gambling is neither regulated nor prohibited.
Online gambling availability in the World 2021
Depending on different approaches to gambling regulation in the world, all countries are divided into 4 groups.
Countries where foreign online casinos are not blocked:
| Africa | Asia | Europe | North America | South America | Oceania |
| Eritrea Nigeria | Azerbaijan Brunei Hong Kong Japan Kyrgyz Republic Laos Malaysia Qatar Singapore Uzbekistan Yemen | Cyprus Bosnia and Herzegovina Czech Republic Iceland Luxembourg Serbia Slovakia | Cayman Islands Salvador Mexico | Brazil | American Samoa Australia Guam New Zealand |
The local regulators do not apply any legislative requirements in these countries. Foreign gambling sites can be licensed in any jurisdiction or generally operate without it.
However, it should be noted that gambling is not necessarily legal in these countries.
For example, the Cayman Islands completely prohibit gambling, while the local residents are liable for participation in gambling. The fact that foreign online casinos are not blocked now can only be explained by the inability of regulator to do this. And if the online gambling is not legalized, blocking of foreign sites is just a matter of time.
Countries where gambling websites must be licensed by the local regulator:
| Africa | Asia | Europe | North America | South America | Oceania |
| Ethiopia Mayotte Reunion Island | Georgia Sri Lanka | Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Italy Netherlands Poland Romania Spain UK | Antigua and Barbuda Guadeloupe Martinique Panama Saint-Barthélemy Saint-Martin Virgin Islands (USA) | Falkland Islands French Guiana | French Polynesia New Caledonia Wallis and Futuna Islands |
These countries use the most competent approach to online gambling regulation. Each operator (whether it is local or foreign) must acquire a license and fulfill certain legal requirements. Conditions are equal for all. Everyone is obliged to pay taxes to the budget. Only in this case, the operator has the right to work legally. Otherwise, the online resource will be blocked.
The following countries require a license of the local regulator only for the local gaming sites. Foreign platforms can work without it:
| Africa | Asia | Europe | North America | South America | Oceania |
| Comoros Gambia Guinea Mauritius Rwanda Seychelles | Armenia | Greece Hungary Ireland Latvia Lithuania Macedonia Moldova Monaco Norway Montenegro Portugal San Marino Slovenia Sweden Switzerland | Aruba Belize Canada Curacao Dominica Dominican Republic Greenland | - | Fiji Vanuatu |
As in the first group, these countries do not apply any legal requirements to foreign sites. A foreign operator may be licensed in any jurisdiction and, in some countries operate without it at all. However, all local casino owners are required to undergo the licensing procedure of the local regulator and to pay taxes to the local treasury.
Slotegrator offers licenses for legal operation in different markets. We help to obtain gambling licenses from Curacao, Malta, Isle of Man, Kahnawake, Belize, Gibraltar, and Alderney.
The following countries have no restrictions for the gambling sites at all:
| Africa | Asia | Europe | North America | South America | Oceania |
| Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Congo DR Congo Egypt Equatorial Guinea Gabon Ghana Guinea-Bissau Côte d'Ivoire Kenya Lesotho Liberia Madagascar Malawi Mali Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Sierra Leone South Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Western Sahara Zambia Zimbabwe | Bangladesh Macau India Mongolia Myanmar Tajikistan | Albania Andorra Belarus Faroe Islands Gibraltar Isle of Man Kosovo Liechtenstein Malta | Bahamas Barbados Bermuda Costa Rica Djibouti Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Nicaragua Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Turks and Caicos | Argentina Bolivia Chile Ecuador Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Trinidad and Tobago Uruguay Venezuela | Cook Islands Kiribati Micronesia Nauru Northern Mariana Islands Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands East Timor Tonga |
This is the largest group of countries. Many of them do not regulate gambling activities at all.
Online gambling laws around the world
Today almost every country has its own rules regulating the land-based gambling. However, the situation with online gambling is more ambiguous. As can be seen, the attitude towards local and foreign operators differs fundamentally from country to country.
In the European Union, for example, the operators of the foreign gambling sites are subject to the requirements of the EU law. However, not all countries agree that foreign operators don’t pay taxes to the local treasury. Contrary to the requirements of the EU, they put the foreign operators under own regulations forcing them to obtain a local gaming license and pay taxes to the local budget. Among these countries France, Germany, Italy, etc.
The second reason for the different attitudes to local and foreign operators is that many countries (especially those not technologically advanced) simply do not have the resources or tools to prevent foreign companies from operating in their territories.
Summing up the availability of online gambling around the world:
- 32 countries prohibit the local operators from working without a license, but those gambling sites that operate from abroad can easily offer their services to local residents. Among them, the following countries: Seychelles, Armenia, Dominican Republic, Greece, Monaco, Norway, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, etc.
- 32 countries allow online gambling only with the local license. For example, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, the UK, the Netherlands etc.
- 28 countries prohibit locals from gambling and block sites of local gambling operators. However, foreign platforms can work freely, even if they have no license. These states are either unwilling or are not able to prevent them. For example, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan, Singapore, Nigeria, etc.
- 93 countries do not prohibit online casinos and do not license them. They include Bolivia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Bahamas, Argentina, Egypt, Kenya, Tunisia, Kosovo, Gibraltar, etc.
Slotegrator offers everything gambling operators need to launch and expand online casino and sportsbook projects. The company offers a wide range of products, including White Label online casino and sportsbook platform development, game content, betting data feeds and payment systems integration. Slotegrator also provides legal consultancy and administrative assistance for gambling license acquisition and regulatory compliance.
Gambling laws have continued to evolve, revolutionizing an industry that is fast attracting the attention of investors. Within the last twelve months, online casinos have especially boomed, surpassing annual revenue projections by double digits. However, eGaming is still illegal in some parts of the world. For example, in the US, only about six states have embraced online casinos. And as legal amendments take shape, forecasts for the sector project good tidings in 2021.
For an investor or a gambler, choosing an internet casino boils down to reviewing gambling laws worldwide. Note that while online casinos enjoy unregulated access to some countries, legal procedures are necessary. This new Tusk casino review by CasinoHEX explores one of the best online casinos in South Africa. For an investor, you should always get acquainted with gambling laws that govern eGaming in jurisdictions where you want to set up a business.
Contents
- 1 Countries Where Internet Casinos Operate Legally
Countries Where Internet Casinos Operate Legally
Countries or jurisdictions where online casinos operate legally are many. However, not every location is favorable or business-friendly. Some gambling laws are so strict that you will give up midway before creating a gaming account or setting up a business in some locations. Still, such information as gambling laws is necessary to help you make the right decisions from the onset. Straightway, here are some countries where you can set up an online casino business within the confines of the law.
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom, or in some instances, Great Britain, is one location where gamblers and casino investors have all the freedom they need. The UK Gambling Commission, a body mandated with implementing eGaming laws in the country, has been instrumental in opening up the sector. While the country has one of the widest gambling markets, it is not without legal boundaries.
The UK Gambling Commission is committed to ensuring a safe gaming environment for both investors and players. The body regulates operations of online casinos to ensure their compliance with the 2005 Gambling Act. The commission’s survey revealed that the industry employs more than 100,000 Britons and generates more than £3 billion in taxes. Over the years, amendments to the UK Gambling Act of 2005 have opened up the industry and even lowered the minimum stake for punters.
France
France is a popular eGaming destination. The country is especially popular for the invention of some casino games. For example, Fans of French Roulette, a popular table game in internet casinos, reckon that the country is deeply rooted in regulated gambling. In France, two licensing authorities regulate the eGaming sector, namely Française des Jeux (FDJ) and Pari Mutuel Urbain (PUM).
The two licensing gambling authorities in France are all supervised by the national government. However, when the country legalized online gambling, a new regulatory authority known as the French Autorité Nationale de Jeux-ARJEL (the National Gaming Authority) was formed to oversee the fast-expanding eGaming sector. ARJEL regulates the online gambling space in France through the issuance of operation licenses. The enactment of the French Gambling Act of 2010 was a turning point in the country’s journey towards a transparent and fair gambling market.
Img source: freepik.com
Germany
Online Betting Legal Countries Today
Germany has a vibrant eGaming sector. As one of the biggest countries in Europe, Germany’s online casinos provide punters with a fair gambling approach. The sector is notwithstanding competitive and strictly regulated by a licensing authority. While the establishment of online casinos has faced legal hurdles in the last few years, online casinos established in other countries have access to the German market. It means Germans can join internet casinos even if they do not operate under the established laws of the country.
At the start of 2020, heads of states in Germany met to approve eGaming regulations that will legalize online casinos in the country. The law will become effective on the 1st of July 2020 after ratification by the European Commission. To gambling investors who are waiting to take advantage of the new law, these tips will improve your office workflow.
Spain
Gamblers in Spain have enjoyed access to online casinos since 2011. The Spanish Gaming Act of 2011 provides the much-need legal framework for establishing eGaming entities in the country. Even more importantly, the country’s unified approach to issuing gambling licenses to online casinos means it is a favorite jurisdiction for punters.
A notable achievement through the Spanish Gaming Act is the establishment of iGaming licenses. The licensing authority issues licenses to online casino operators every 18 months. However, gaming providers who need a Spanish license must maintain their servers within the country, pay taxes as well as meet other wide-ranging legal requirements.
Japan
The Far East is not an easy go for gambling investors. Laws in this part of the world make it difficult to establish a gambling business. However, Japan has recently been breaking boundaries as the go-to gaming destination for Asian punters and investors.
Is Sports Betting Legal Online
While most gambling laws in Japan are inclined towards land-based casinos, Japanese punters can now access offshore casinos that run gaming sites. Presently, laws that would open up the eGaming space in Japan face opposition from political and social groups. Thus, you could compare the gambling industry in Japan to that of the US. Despite having huge revenue potential, Japanese gamblers may have to wait longer to access homebred internet casinos.
Online Betting Legal States
Conclusion
In a nutshell, internet casinos are fast revolutionizing the eGaming sector. While internet sports betting may have had a headstart in most countries, internet casinos are also ripe for exploitation. Despite the world suffering a major economic setback in 2020 after the coronavirus outbreak, online casinos thrived. The sector generated revenue running into billions of dollars, especially in countries such as the UK, Spain, and France, where eGaming laws have been ratified and implemented.
In retrospect, despite their massive economic value, online casinos have struggled to gain a foothold in countries that only allow offshore gaming platforms. In Canada, Norway, Greece, and Sweden, where offshore internet casinos enjoy unrestricted access, the government should ease legal requirements to establish internet casinos. Moreover, here is a post that breaks down money market funds for you.