Online gambling all around the world is highly varied, with lots of different laws and regulations based on culture, religion, politics, and other factors. However, more and more nations continue to legalise online casinos and online gambling generally, which keeps moral questions surrounding gambling in sharp focus.
Some countries have embraced regulation and have created quite complex and stringent laws around online gambling. Others continue to resist, forcing players to offshore casinos rather than tackle the problem head-on. Social problems like gambling addiction, crime, and financial instability are cited as reasons to keep
We take a look below at the intricate legal frameworks surrounding the industry, particularly in the countries where gambling is strictly regulated or even prohibited, with consequences for players in those countries.
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There are few countries left where casinos are illegal. What are the laws there and are players punished?
There are a dozen countries in the world where gambling is completely or partially taboo. Here is a list of countries that resist the spread of gambling addiction with radical methods: China, North Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Brunei, and Cambodia.
👉 There are also restrictions in the Cayman Islands, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Algeria, Vatican City, and Pakistan.
At the same time, some countries, such as China and Japan, adhering to a strict attitude towards gambling, have recently eased the level of restrictions. The websites of some operators, like Crusino Casino, have a list of jurisdictions that are prohibited for work.
Brazil
Brazilians are deprived of the opportunity to gamble. The ban was introduced in 1941. State
Vietnam
Vietnam has very strict rules and restrictions. Most forms of gambling are prohibited here and are considered a crime. Land-based casinos can be located in luxury hotels, but they are intended for hotel guests only. Only the lottery is legally available for local residents.
Qatar
In Qatar, all forms of gambling are considered completely illegal, including sports betting and
Cambodia
In Cambodia, only tourists can gamble. After the legalisation of the industry in the 1990s and the excessive demand for such entertainment, the country adopted a law on combating gambling: all licences issued to operators were revoked.
China
In China, casinos and gambling are completely prohibited, except for the state lottery and some forms of sports betting. For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has been restraining the demand for gambling. The only offshore haven for the industry was the Aomin Special Administrative Region, or Macau. The gambling business is currently developing quite actively here.
Cuba
Gambling is completely banned in Cuba; however, there are underground gambling houses at hotels and even illegal
Norway
In Norway, only certain types of gambling are allowed that are controlled by the state. Two companies have an official licence: Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto. The former has exclusive rights to lotteries,
Finland
The situation in Finland is similar. Only state-owned gambling operators are allowed to operate here. However, there is a problem of illegal gambling.
UAE
Gambling in the UAE is formally prohibited for religious reasons. The telecommunications regulator controls all online content and blocks access to any gambling site. And if a UAE resident is caught by the authorities whilst playing, say, roulette, he can be sentenced to two years in prison.
North Korea
North Koreans probably don't know what gambling is at all. Online and offline gambling is completely banned in the country. Land-based casinos operate in Pyongyang and the northern part of the country, but only foreign tourists with a guide are allowed to visit them.
Poland
In Poland, the ban applies only to online operators from abroad. Players in Poland can be fined for playing on unlicensed gambling websites. At the same time, there are many land-based casinos in Poland that work primarily for tourists.
Singapore
Residents of Singapore will not be able to play in
Syria
Gambling in any format has been banned in Syria for decades. However, in 2011, an attempt was made to build a legal casino in Damascus to generate new tax revenues. However, the facility lasted only a few months. When the civil war broke out in 2012, the government decided to close it. Since then, there has been no legal gambling business in Syria. Online gambling is also prohibited.
Online gambling and player risks
The rapid rise and popularity of online gambling platforms has caused a big headache for plenty of countries around the world. Whilst land-based casinos continue to operate and thrive, online gambling brings a whole new level of accessibility that has completely transformed the industry.
You can place bets on
casino games , sports, and lotteries all over the world from the comfort of your armchair, without the need to visit a physical casino premises. As you can imagine, this has created all sorts of challenges for governments trying to keep control over the industry and regulate it to protect their citizens and benefit from the taxation of online gaming.
- Countries such as Poland have tried to address these issues and challenges by banning unlicensed foreign operators offering services to their citizens.
- The law in Poland allows players to be prosecuted for gambling at such offshore unlicensed casinos, putting the emphasis on player liability.
- However, enforcement of these laws is difficult, especially with Polish players using VPNs or other methods to mask their location to play offshore.
- Player liability is prominent in Finland and Norway as well. These nations only allow state-owned operators to offer gambling services, which ensures that the government maintains control over the industry.
- However, it has also created a rise in unlicensed online gambling at offshore casinos, which are much more lenient when it comes to which players they allow. Players caught, however, will be fined and prosecuted.
Tourism and gambling
When it comes to tourism, all of a sudden gambling seems okay in many nations that see it as an opportunity to take money off tourists in the same way that tourists would spend in hotels, restaurants, and shops whilst away.
Many governments around the world have legalised casinos and other forms of gambling with the very purpose of attracting tourists. This allows governments to capitalise on the economic benefits of gambling whilst at the same time protecting their own citizens from the associated risks.
đź‘€ But these kinds of policies do create challenges in enforcement. Locals often try to bend the law and gain access to legal gambling venues or even online platforms.
Additionally, focusing on tourism-driven gambling industries raises certain ethical questions. Why should tourists be able to lose their money, and that's okay, but locals can't? It boils down to where the majority of your tourists are coming from—are they from wealthier nations?
The future of gambling regulation
More and more countries are considering legalising online gambling. In particular, nations such as Brazil and Japan are slowly moving towards legislation for regulation.
- The continued rise of online gambling means this is an issue that is not going away and is best dealt with. It is also becoming increasingly difficult for governments to ignore.
- Frameworks vary around the world, but ultimately it's only a matter of time before common frameworks are utilised for best practices, especially when it comes to player safety, money laundering, and taxation.
- Ultimately, the online industry will be shaped by cultural, religious, and economic factors. Countries that are regulating the industry are benefiting from increased taxation in the entertainment sector.
- On the other hand, countries that continue to impose very strict prohibitions on online gambling will have to continue to step up their game when it comes to blocking local residents from playing online.
At the end of the day, it's probably best to tackle the problem head-on and to continue using regulation, and in some countries, heavier regulation, as a form of controlling at least the majority of people who will do whatever they can to gamble online, whether locally or offshore.
