International internet gambling law is a subject of immense complexity because every nation has its own take on the subject. Some parts of the world embrace online gambling while others do everything they can to ban it entirely. On top of that, different jurisdictions within a single nation sometimes take radically different approaches to internet gaming.
The vast majority of online gambling legislation is target squarely at the companies that operate sites and not the individuals who use them. Of course, laws do vary from one region to the next as we’ve explained. It’s important to know your local laws do prohibit you from gambling online, which is precisely we’ve provided the relevant much information in this section.
Most sites are licensed and regulated in at least one jurisdiction. To obtain the necessary license, they will have to meet specific criteria as laid out by the licensing authority within the relevant jurisdiction. Operators will generally advertise details of their licensing, as it helps to reassure potential customers that are legal and regulated. It basically lends some legitimacy to their operations.
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 regulated. Any site wishing to provide its services to UK residents must meet requirements set out by the Gambling Commission. This organization was established in 2005, replacing the existing Gaming Board.
There are other European countries with similar setups to the UK too. France, for example, has a strict licensing process, but does allow overseas companies to accept French customers if they meet the necessary criteria. For some reason, though, all forms of casino games are currently banned. They at least have clear laws though, whereas things are decidedly murky in other countries.
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Gambling in the US |
Gambling in Canada |
Gambling in Japan |
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Gambling in Australia |
Gambling in the UK |
Gambling in Russia |
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Gambling in Germany |
Gambling in Italy |
Gambling in France |